In the first of the two-game series with Graves County, the Lady Marshals won 50-36 at home on Dec. 10. The Lady Eagles have lost the last five straight to the Lady Marshals dating back to Feb. 2020, but that streak ended with Friday’s 40-36 win at the Eagles Nest.
Their first game in 10 days was without senior Jada Driver who has been averaging 17 points a game and scored 17 in the first game against Graves County. Driver currently ranks fourth in the state in 3-point shooting with an average of 3.5 per game and will be back on the floor next week after following COVID protocols.
Halle Langhi had 14 in the first game against Graves County but was held to four points, two from the free throw line where she currently ranks 28th in the state with a 78.7 average.
“This is two games in a row where we’ve scored 36 points and 34 points”, Coach Aaron Beth said. “When Halle gets one field goal, we’re not going to win. That’s the bottom line.”
Anna Whitaker, who had six points for the Lady Eagles in the Dec. 10 game, scored half of their points on Friday. The senior opened the game with the first basket but two straight Lady Marshals’ 3-pointers from Mia Teague and Skylar Waller gave them a lead they held through the early minutes of the second quarter.
Leading 12-10, a free throw and 3-pointer from Whitaker gave the Lady Eagles their first lead since the 2-0 start to the game. Two free throws by Langhi tied the game at 14 and they were tied again at 16 on a basket by Georgia Hall. In the final 3:48 of the half, Graves County outscored the Lady Marshals 6-1 to take a 22-17 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Langhi’s only field goal of the game opened the second half and it was followed by six points from Waller on a three-point play and 3-pointer to draw the game even again at 22-22. Waller scored her ninth straight point on another 3-pointer to take back the lead at 25-22 but they would finish out the quarter trailing 29-27.
Teague opened the fourth quarter with her second 3-pointer to swing the lead back in favor of the Lady Marshals. Leading by one at 32-31, six straight points from Whitaker gave the Lady Eagles a four-point lead. The lead was cut to three twice by Waller field goals and in the final 10 seconds, a Marshall County turnover and foul on Ellie Carter sent the senior to the line to cap off the four-point win.
“It’s about execution”, Beth said. “It’s about being tough enough to go get a basket or make a pass or set a screen. Diving on the floor for a loose ball. We let them have three offensive rebounds one possession in the first half that ended with a 3-point basket.”
Beth applauded the play of Waller who finished with 19 points.
“I thought everybody played hard but we didn’t play smart”, Beth said. “We’ve got to come up with those loose balls. We’ve got to come up with those rebounds. We’ve got to be able to execute when it gets tight and we’re just not there yet.”
Back on the floor less than 24 hours after the loss, the Lady Marshals will play McLean County (4-11) at home at 2:30.
Marshall 12 5 10 9 – 36
Graves 10 12 7 11 – 40
Marshall (9-3): Waller 19, Teague 8, Langhi 4, Henson 3, Hall 2
Graves (10-3): Whitaker 20, Jackson 4, Carter 4, Widelski 3, Spann 2, Harris 2, Alexander 2, Thompson 2, Glisson 1
