HUNTINGTON, West Virginia (AP) — Ryan Taylor scored 17 points and finished with 11 rebounds as Marshall pulled away early in the second half for a 69-55 victory over Rice on Thursday night.

Taylor made four of the Thundering Herd’s final eight points in the first half for a 28-24 lead at intermission, and Marshall stretched it to nine points at the start of the second.

Rice’s Bishop Mency made back-to-back 3-pointers to close within 33-30 with 18 minutes left to play. Taylor then sparked a 10-0 run with eight-straight points, and the Thundering Herd took a double-digit lead that they never relented.

Taylor finished with seven assists, Austin Loop chipped in 16 points and JP Kambola added 10 points for Marshall (7-16, 3-7 Conference USA). The Thundering Herd shot 52.9 percent from the floor and 10 of 25 from distance.

Mency scored 13 points to lead the Owls (6-15, 3-6).