Marshall Thundering Herd vs East Carolina Pirates Match Player Stats On Nov 23, 2012

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 23, 2012

East Carolina 65, Marshall 59 (2OT): Shane Carden threw for 439 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for three scores, including the winner in the second overtime as the host Pirates survived in a wild Conference USA tilt.

The sophomore had tossed a 25-yard touchdown pass in the first overtime after leading East Carolina (8-4, 7-1) into extra sessions with a 6-yard scoring strike to Danny Webster with just 4 seconds left in regulation. Four plays after Marshall fumbled away its second overtime drive, Carden ran in from 1 yard out to keep the Pirates perfect in seven home games all-time against the Thundering Herd (5-7, 4-4).

The teams combined for 1,188 yards, including 626 in the first half alone, and tallied 42 points during a second quarter in which East Carolina built a 28-7 cushion.

Sophomore Rakeem Cato, who threw for 318 yards and five touchdown passes before being knocked out with a knee injury, rallied the Thundering Herd to within 35-28 at halftime. His 2-yard scoring pass to Antavious Wilson on the opening drive of the third quarter tied it at 35-35.

Justin Hardy had 171 yards and a score on a school-record 16 receptions for the Pirates, who can reach next week's conference title game to face Tulsa if Central Florida stumbles against UAB on Saturday.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Essray Taliaferro rushed for 130 yards and his 1-yard touchdown run had given Marshall a 52-45 lead with 1:55 to play in regulation. ... Freshman backup quarterback Blake Frohnapfel had a 51-yard scoring run for the Thundering Herd and Tommy Shuler added 141 yards on 14 catches to set the school's single-season receptions mark (110).