HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (Interstat) — In a game defined by opportunistic defense and a decisive fourth-quarter surge, the Marshall women’s basketball team held off a persistent Coastal Carolina squad for an 80-74 victory on Saturday at Cam Henderson Center.

The Thundering Herd, improving to 15-3 overall, leveraged a staggering 19 points off 17 Coastal Carolina turnovers while committing only six of their own. That disparity proved to be the cornerstone of the win, offsetting a more efficient shooting afternoon from the visiting Chanticleers.

Marshall guard Peyton Ilderton, a 5-foot-6 sophomore from Logan, West Virginia, led all scorers with 20 points, including four critical three-pointers, and added five assists. Her backcourt partner, Timaya Lewis-Eutsey, orchestrated the offense with a game-high seven assists to go with 10 points and four steals. Ni’Kiah Chesterfield provided a major spark off the bench for Marshall, scoring 18 points and grabbing six rebounds in just 19 minutes.

Coastal Carolina, which fell to 8-10, was led by 20 points from Tessa Grady. Kinsea Grimes added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Tracey Hueston posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded early in the fourth quarter, transforming a narrow margin into a comfortable lead for the Herd. Holding a 60-58 advantage with just over six minutes to play, Marshall’s defensive pressure ignited a game-breaking run. Lewis-Eutsey stole the ball and found Ilderton for a three-pointer. On the ensuing Coastal possession, Ilderton came up with another steal, leading to her own transition three-pointer, assisted by Timberlynn Yeast, to push the lead to 66-58.

The Chanticleers, visibly rattled, committed a technical foul on the following play, and the Herd capitalized. After the free throws, another Coastal Carolina turnover, forced by Lewis-Eutsey, resulted in a Yeast three-pointer, capping an 11-0 run that gave Marshall a 69-58 lead with 5:06 remaining. Coastal Carolina would not get closer than six points the rest of the way.

The game was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. Coastal Carolina shot a solid 46.3% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line, compared to Marshall’s 44.1% and 57.1%. The Chanticleers also won the rebounding battle slightly. However, Marshall’s 12 three-pointers and, most critically, their 19-0 advantage in points off turnovers rendered those percentages moot.

The first half was a tightly contested shootout. Coastal Carolina used an 8-0 run late in the first quarter to take a 15-9 lead, but Marshall closed the period on a 7-0 burst, capped by a Kassie Ingram three-pointer, to lead 16-15. The second quarter saw eight lead changes as both offenses found a rhythm. Chesterfield caught fire for Marshall, scoring 13 points in the quarter, while Grady and Grimes combined for 18 for Coastal. The Chanticleers took a 46-41 lead into halftime after Kristin Williams beat the buzzer with a three-pointer.

Marshall adjusted its defense in the third quarter, holding Coastal to 15 points, and entered the final period tied at 56. The stage was then set for the decisive defensive flurry that secured the season sweep for the Herd, who also won an 87-85 overtime thriller at Coastal Carolina just nine days prior.

Marshall’s Meredith Maier, a 6-foot forward from Fairmont, West Virginia, filled the stat sheet with five points, seven rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. For Coastal Carolina, D’Yanis Jimenez dished out four assists but was plagued by seven turnovers against Marshall’s relentless backcourt pressure.

The announced attendance at Cam Henderson Center was 1,591. Marshall next travels to face James Madison on Thursday. Coastal Carolina returns home to host South Alabama next Saturday.