MOCS FIGHT TO THE END IN LOSS AT MARSHALL
 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. --- The Chattanooga Mocs returned to Huntington, W.Va., for the first time in 25 years and fought to the end in a 60-56 loss to Marshall Wednesday afternoon at the Cam Henderson center.
 
Chattanooga took its first and only lead of the game early in the fourth, starting the final frame with six straight points. Sigrun Olafsdottir's third 3-pointer of the contest put the Mocs up 50-48 with 8:50 to play.
 
Marshall, however, responded with six points of its own and held off the Mocs determined offensive effort the rest of the way.
 
Raven Thompson drove from the outside with 20 seconds to play, hitting a layup to pull Chattanooga to within a point at 57-56. UTC put the Herd on the line twice in the final seconds with Marshall scoring three of four free throws, but the Mocs were unable to find a bucket in response.
 
Thompson tied her career-best with a game-high 23 points and pulled down six rebounds. She was 8-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Her 3-pointer in the third period pull Chattanooga to within four points midway through the quarter.
 
Abbey Cornelius scored eight of her 12 points in the second half and recorded 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Olafsdottir had season-highs with 14 points, five assists and three 3-pointers. She was 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
 
HOW IT STARTED
Marshall started the game on a 10-0 run before the Mocs answered back with eight straight points. The Herd ended the period with a 20-14 lead and added another point to its advantage in the second to lead 35-28 at intermission.
 
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
Thompson got the Mocs scoring started in the second quarter, pulling UTC to within three points twice in the period, but the Herd used an 8-0 run to pad its lead, 30-19, with 4:39 to play in the half. However, Chattanooga put together a 9-2 scoring run over the next 3:49 to make it a 32-28 game with 35 seconds left before the half. The dagger was a 3-pointer from Marshall in the final seconds of the frame to give the Herd a 35-28 lead at the half.
 
ONTO THE SECOND HALF
The Mocs continued to claw their way back into the game in the third. After falling behind 37-28 just moments into the quarter, an acrobatic play from Cornelius to Olafsdottir sparked a 10-3 run by UTC to cut the Herd lead to 40-38 with 5:40 in the period.
 
Olafsdottir's shot missed and the rebound went long. Cornelius made a save, going out of bounds in the corner and found Olafsdottir in the lane. She put up the shot and drew a foul. Her 'and 1' made it 37-31 at the 9:04 mark. Marshall responded with a 3-pointer but UTC scored the next seven, cutting the lead to two points on layup from Cornelius.
 
Another Cornelius jumper cut the lead to two again late in the period, but Marshall took a 48-44 lead into the final quarter.
 
THE RESULT
The Mocs fall to 8-6 headed into the holiday break. The game ended a six-game road trip for the Mocs that began with a win at Georgia State. UTC went 3-3 in the stretch.
 
Marshall improves to 7-5 on the year, closing out non-conference play.
 
FROM HEAD COACH SHAWN POPPIE
"Unfortunately, we came up short. We dug ourselves an early hole and couldn't find a way to get all the way out of it. I thought our kids competed but hats off to Marshall they were a possession better than us today."
 
TAKEAWAYS
- This was the first game between the two programs in 25 years. Marshall cut the Mocs advantage to just one game, 19-18 and improved its home court lead to 14-4.
- Yazz Wazeerud-Din was held to four points in the game.
- Addie Grace Porter didn't score but had eight rebounds.
- Abbey Cornelius recorded her third double-double of the year, 17^th career.
- Sigrun Olafsdottir was 3-of-5 from the 3-point line with 14 points, both season-highs.
- Raven Thompson tied her career-high, leading all scorers with 23 points.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Chattanooga leads the series 19-18. Marshall improves it's home court advantage to 14-4 against UTC.
 
UP NEXT
After a week break for the holiday, the Mocs return home for the first time in a month to host Jacksonville State in the non-conference finale. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. at the McKenzie Arena.