FRISCO, Texas – The opening day of the 2020 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star in Frisco tips off Wednesday.  (8) Marshall needed overtime to move past (9) Southern Miss, 71-67, in the lid-lifter. Louisiana Tech became the first No. 12 seed to defeat the No. 5 since 2000, as the Bulldogs bounced UAB, 66-63. (7) UTEP posted the highest point total in 10 years at the C-USA Championship with a 95-67 win over (10) Florida Atlantic, while (6) Charlotte held off (11) North Texas, 71-67.
 
Schedule/Results/Watch Links
 
Championship Central
 
First Round Game 1
(8) Marshall 71, (9) Southern Miss 67 (ot)
Marshall moved past Southern Miss, 71-67, in overtime to begin the 2020 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star.  It marked the Thundering Herd’s first win at the championship since 2016. 
 
Marshall trailed 55-44 with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter before going on an 11-0 run to tie the game.  They tied the game on a pair of free throws by Kristen Mayo, as Marshall would hit its final six free throw attempts of the quarter to finish regulation 17-of-17 from the line and force overtime.
 
In the extra session, a layup by Princess Clemons under the basket with 2:28 remaining gave the Herd a 66-65 lead they would not relinquish.  Marshall would hit its final five free throw attempts to finish 21-of-25 from the line for the game.
 
Kristen Mayo scored a career-high 22 points to lead Marshall (13-17), who also went to overtime in last year’s C-USA Championship, a first round loss to UTEP in double-OT.  Savannah Wheeler scored 19 points, which included a 13-of-14 showing from the free throw line.  Only five players in C-USA Championship history have made more free throws. 
 
Southern Miss (15-15) produced a pair of players that posted double-doubles.  Respect Leaphart had a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Kelsey Jones scored 14 points with 11 boards.  It was Leaphart’s fifth double-double of the season, while Jones notched her fifth. 
 
Marshall advances to play top-seeded Rice at 11 a.m. CT on Thursday in the first quarterfinal.  The Owls opened conference play with an 81-43 win over the Herd on January 2 in Houston.
 
 
First Round Game 2
(12) Louisiana Tech 66, (5) UAB 63
No. 12 Louisiana Tech stunned No. 5 UAB, 66-63 in Wednesday’s first round, marking the first time in 20 years the 12^th seed has pulled off the upset bid over No. 5 in the C-USA Women’s Basketball Championship.

The Lady Techsters clung to a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Keiunna Walker and Anna Larr Roberson combined for a perfect 6-for-6 performance from the floor and Louisiana Tech committed just two turnovers in the frame to secure its first C-USA postseason tournament victory in Frisco.

Louisiana Tech landed three in double figures led by Walker with a game-high 15. Co-Sixth Player of the Year Raizel Guinto totaled 14 points on a 4-for-8 day from beyond the arc with seven assists and five boards. The squad forced 20 Blazer turnovers and racked up 12 steals in the contest. The Louisiana Tech defense held Rachael Childress, the nation’s second-best 3-point shooter, without a shot from long range.

Four UAB players reached double-digit points with Miyah Barnes collecting a team-best 14 (5-10 FG). Trista Magee fell a rebound shy of a double-double, tallying 10 points and nine boards while leading her unit with three assists.

Louisiana Tech will face No. 4 seed Middle Tennessee in the quarterfinal round 11:30 a.m. CT Thursday on Court B. Live coverage will be broadcast on ESPN+.

 
First Round Game 3
(7) UTEP 95, (10) Florida Atlantic 67
UTEP scored the game’s first seven points and never looked back, posting a 95-67 victory over Florida Atlantic in opening round action at the 2020 Air Force Reserve C-USA Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at The Star. 
 
The Miners point total of 95 is the highest at the C-USA women’s championship in 10 years and the fourth-highest total ever at the event.  It is the most ever scored by the UTEP program in a conference tournament, as are the 11 three-point field goals made. 
 
UTEP began the game shooting a sizzling 82.4 percent (14-of-17) from the field in the first quarter to build a 36-15 advantage after the opening 10 minutes.  The 36 points matched the most scored in a quarter in Miners history. 
 
Avery Crouse scored 12 points for the Miners in the opening quarter, going 4-for-4 from the field, 2-for-2 from the line and grabbing four rebounds.  She finished as one of six UTEP players in double figures.  The Miners were led by Katarina Zec and Sabine Lipe with 16 points apiece.  Ariona Gill added 15 and Dejanae Roebuck netted 11 of her 13 points in the second half.
 
Crystal Primm closed out her stellar all-conference season by scoring a game-high 24 points for Florida Atlantic (13-17).  Tanyia Gordon added 11 points.
 
UTEP advances to play No. 2 seed Old Dominion at 1:30 p.m. CT in Thursday’s quarterfinals.  The Monarchs won the regular season meeting between the schools, 89-77, in El Paso on February 8.
 
 
First Round Game 4
(6) Charlotte 71, (11) North Texas 67
No. 6 seed Charlotte held on for a 71-67 win over No. 11 seed North Texas on Wednesday to advance to the C-USA Quarterfinals for the second-straight year. 

North Texas (12-19) mowed down a 19-point Charlotte (21-9) lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter to just two points with seconds to play. With eight seconds to go, Christian Hithe headed to the line and sunk a pair of free throws to lock in the win and extend the Niners’ third 20+ win season under head coach Cara Consuegra. 

The two teams met under similar circumstances in 2018, when No. 11 seed North Texas upended the sixth-seeded 49ers, 58-55 in the C-USA Championship First Round, also played on Court B. The win by the higher seed ends Court B’s two-year streak of 6 vs. 11 upsets. 

A well-rounded scoring effort saw Charlotte place four in double figures, including a double-double from redshirt senior Jade Phillips. The All-Conference USA First-Team selection notched her 10th of the season off of 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Her 11 defensive boards are 10th all-time in a single C-USA tournament contest. Junior Mariah Linney piled up a game-high 17 points to pair with six rebounds and six assists as she went 3-for-4 from 3-point range. 

North Texas senior Anisha George paced the Mean Green offensively with 14 points on 6-of-8 field goals and eight rebounds. Redshirt junior Madison Townley pulled down 12 rebounds. Freshmen N’Yah Boyd and Jazion Jackson split 10 assists and 25 points – Boyd inked 13 and Jackson contributed 12. 

Charlotte will meet No. 3 seed WKU in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Thursday on Court B with coverage aired on ESPN+.