HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The women's basketball team of Marshall University used aggressive full-court pressure defense and a solid shooting performance to beat the University of Pikeville 127-76 on Sunday evening in the Cam Henderson Center.
 
Playing under first-year coach Kim Stephens, the Thundering Herd employed an assortment of full-court defenses to open up a 30-point lead by halftime en route to the win.
 
UPike committed 13 turnovers in the first half and hit only 39.3 percent from the field. The Bears competed the entire game, with Coach Clifton Williams playing all 14 players in uniform in the first half.
 
Marshall used a stifling pressure defense to gain early separation. Leading 7-3, the Herd scored eight unanswered to begin a 13-2 run, and when senior Breanna Campbell scored on a reverse layup with 4:04 left in the first quarter, the score was 20-5.
 
The Bears responded with a free throw and a jumper by sophomore Jaidy Mejia-Andrade to get within 12, but could get no closer. Their pressure defense was suffocating and allowed them to grow the lead to 33-15 after one period and 62-32 at the half.
 
Sophomore Allie Stone led the Bears with 15 points as well as with five assists. Senior Morgan Stamper followed with 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore India Blythe and freshman Rachel Bush had eight markers each for the Bears.
 
Marshall had eight players reach double digits in the scoring column, led by graduate student Abby Beeman with 15.
 
The Bears will play one more exhibition game before the start of the season, traveling to play the University of Charleston next Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip.
 
The regular season begins on Wednesday, Nov. 8 when the Bears travel to Barbourville to play Union College at 5:30 p.m. The home opener will be Saturday, Nov. 11 when Milligan (Tenn.) University comes to the UPike Gym for a 2 p.m. opening tip.