GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Marshall got one of its better defensive performances in Conference USA action, but fell just short of its first conference win of 2013 in a 54-47 loss to East Carolina at Minges Coliseum on Thursday night.

East Carolina used a 12-4 run midway through the second half to take a 45-37 lead and never look back.

The Herd was able to cut the deficit to one possession on a layup by Chukwuka Ezeigbo with 1:27 left, but would get no closer in suffering their eighth-straight loss.

Marshall is now 6-13 on the season and 0-6 in Conference USA.

Erica Woods led the Herd with 14 points while Ezeigbo ended the day with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Ezeigbo's jumper with 17:18 left knotted the game for the final time at 33, but Marshall would go the next seven minutes without a basket. Ezeigbo also ended that streak with a layup that made it 37-35.

Turnovers once again proved to be Marshall's downfall in the loss as the Herd finished with 20 on the evening.

Marshall also struggled from the 3-point line where the team finished 5-18.

One of those 3-pointers came from point guard Norrisha Victrum, who hit from long range just before the end of the half to cut East Carolina's lead to 29-26 at halftime and give the Herd some momentum.

The 3-pointer came after the Pirates had used a 13-1 run during a four-minute stretch to open a 21-14 lead with 9:58 left in the first half.

That run came after Marshall had opened the game strong and taken its biggest lead at 13-8 early on.

Celeste Stewart led East Carolina (14-5, 4-2) with 13 points while Britny Edwards added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Whitny Edwards also notched 11 points in the Pirates' third-straight win.

Marshall returns to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. when Memphis comes to the Cam Henderson Center.

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