CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — A surging Marshall women’s basketball team, winner of six straight, will put its momentum on the line Thursday when the Thundering Herd visit Coastal Carolina at HTC Center to open the new year. The Thundering Herd (11-3) enter 2026 as one of the nation’s hottest mid-major teams, having not lost since a Nov. 30 setback at Morehead State. Their streak includes an 83-74 overtime victory over James Madison on Dec. 20, powered by a career-high 26 points from guard Olivia Olson. Olson has been a consistent force, averaging 13.3 points during the winning streak and scoring in double figures in five of the last six games. Coastal Carolina (7-7) looks to build on a dominant 103-41 rout of Columbia in its last outing on Dec. 29. Guard Kristin Williams led that effort with 23 points in just 23 minutes, continuing her strong play. Williams has averaged 16.0 points over her last five games, including a 21-point performance in a narrow loss to Georgia State. The Chanticleers have shown a Jekyll-and-Hyde tendency at home, boasting blowout nonconference wins but also suffering close Sun Belt Conference losses to Georgia State and James Madison at HTC Center in December. Containing Olson and Marshall’s backcourt, which includes Timaya Lewis-Eutsey (20 points, 7 assists vs. JMU), will be a primary challenge. Marshall’s defense has been a cornerstone of its streak, holding four of its last six opponents under 63 points. Coastal Carolina will counter with a balanced attack; in the win over Columbia, J’yana Salton added 14 points and Tracey Hueston scored 18 off the bench. Thursday’s matchup is the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season, with a rematch set for Jan. 10 in Huntington, West Virginia. It marks a critical early conference test for both sides as they navigate a packed January schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST at the 3,300-seat HTC Center.