COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Marshall’s 14-2 run to start the second half invited a 71-43 victory over Elon in women’s basketball action Wednesday in day one of the University of Maryland’s Terrapin Classic at the Comcast Center. The Thundering Herd will now take on the host Terps in the championship game at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Marshall (5-4) held Elon (1-8) to 19 second-half points while pouring in 42 points of its own in the final period. Kim Griffin finished 5-for-6 from the floor in the Herd’s big second half, scoring all 10 of her points in the decisive stanza. After committing 15 turnovers in the first period, Marshall turned the ball over only four times in the second. Elon tallied 27 turnovers for the game.

Sikeetha Shepard-Hall scored a game-high 15 points (5 of 9) to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Griffin and Shepard-Hall were joined in double-figures by Modupe Ishola and KaShawna Curry with 10 apiece.

In the opening stanza, a Robyn Shipley three-pointer with four ticks on the clock drew Elon within 29-24 for the halftime score. The Herd led by as many as 14 points with five minutes remaining in the first period, but the Phoenix made a run to pull within five points at intermission.

Hodge dished out a game-high five assists with four points and two steals. Scott tallied two assists in 16 minutes off the bench while Curry led the Herd rebound attack, pulling down eight caroms to give MU a 47-35 edge.

Of Elon’s 43 points, only eight came from non-freshmen. The young Phoenix squad was out-scored in the paint 38-12 and surrendered 28 points off turnovers. Shashonna Moore paced the Phoenix with 12 points and nine rebounds.

Marshall and Maryland will face each other for the first time in history. The No. 17-ranked Terrapins (9-1) and Herd are set to tip-off at 7 p.m. in the tournament’s championship contest. Maryland defeated Massachusetts 67-63 in Wednesday’s nightcap. UMass will face Elon at 5 p.m.

Game Box Score

– ELON –