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Feb. 2, 2002

Stats

OXFORD, Ohio-Miami University's women's basketball team unleashed two weeks of frustrations Saturday afternoon at Marshall University's Henderson Arena, dealing the Thundering Herd a 79-49 defeat and ending a four-game losing streak.

Despite not lighting the scoreboard until the 16:34 mark, Miami surged to an early 8-1 lead behind Jana Butler (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty-Benton), who netted seven of the RedHawks' first 10 points. The Thundering Herd, which did not record a field goal for the first 5:25 of the game, finally got its interior game going and shaved the lead to 10-7 by the 12:55 mark, but was able to tally just one field goal over the next four minutes and trailed 20-9 by the eight-minute mark.

Miami, which maintained a double-digit lead for the majority of the half, was sparked by a defensive effort that forced 15 Thundering Herd turnovers and allowed a season-low 22 first-half points, as well as an interior game that was paced by Butler's nine and Kim Smith's (Gary, Ind./West Side) eight points. Marshall, which out-rebounded the RedHawks 27-17 in the half, shot just 31 percent from the floor and trailed 34-22 at the half.

With the offense in high gear, Miami rolled out of the gates in the second half with a 14-6 run that pushed its advantage to 20 by the 15-minute mark. Marshall, which shot 29 percent in the second half, would never get any closer than 17 points the remainder of the game. Miami, which scorched the nets at 59 percent in the half, got 12 second-half points from Heather Cusick (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) and forced 12 more Marshall turnovers in the second half.

Leading Miami, which won its ninth consecutive versus the Herd, were Cusick and Smith, who each notched 19 points. The 19 points were a career-high for Smith. Also scoring in double digits for the RedHawks were Butler and Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name), who each contributed 10. Marshall, which dropped to 6-14 and 2-7 in the MAC, was led by Au'Yana Ferguson's nine points and 11 rebounds.

Miami, which improved to 12-9 and 6-4 in the MAC, takes to the road again Tuesday where it faces traditional MAC powerhouse the University of Toledo at 7 p.m. in the Rockets' Savage Hall. The RedHawks have lost their last 12 to Toledo.