HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Timaya Lewis-Eutsey scored 14 of her 27 points in the first quarter and Marshall beat Illinois State 66-41 on Saturday to claim the Thundering Herd’s first WNIT championship.
Lewis-Eutsey, who came in averaging 19.8 points per game, made 12 of 17 shots and all three of her 3-ponters for the Thundering Herd (28-9). All 10 Marshall players who got into the game had at least one basket.
Addison Martin had 11 points to lead the Redbirds (24-14) and Trista Fayta scored nine. Doneelah Washington led the team with a 17.1 scoring average, but she missed all seven of her shots against Marshall and failed to score.
Lewis-Eutsey buried all six of her first-quarter shots with two 3-pointers, scoring the first 11 points for Marshall in building a five-point lead in the first 4:35. Lewis-Eutsey hit a 3-pointer and Kassie Ingram followed with a layup for a 21-10 lead before both teams went scoreless over the final 2:37.
Blessing King’s layup at the first-half buzzer gave Marshall a 31-21 advantage at the break.
King and Ingram had the final two baskets in a 12-0 run to begin the third quarter and Marshall cruised to the finish.
Marshall shot 49% overall, made 6 of 22 from distance and went 4 for 4 at the free-throw line. Illinois State shot 29.2%, made 3 of 17 from distance and 10 of 12 foul shots.
The Redbirds beat South Dakota 67-60 on the road in the semifinals, while Marshall posted a 69-62 road win over Arkansas State to advance to the title game.
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