Marshall University Athletics
Thundering Herd Stifles Zips, 74-58
2/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Thundering Herd Stifles Zips, 74-58
2/12/2003
- Box Score
Marvin Black scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win over Akron. |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall limited Akron, the Mid-American Conference's highest scoring team, to its second-lowest point total of the year, en route to a 74-58 MAC victory Wednesday.
The Thundering Herd (11-10, 6-5 MAC) opened the game on a 21-12 run and never trailed thanks to a solid defensive effort that limited Akron to only 42.9% shooting (24-56) from the field and to only 25% shooting from three-point range (3-12).
The Zips (10-11, 5-7) entered the game averaging more than 81 points per game and prior to Wednesday had been held to under-60 points in only two other games (a 59-74 loss at Miami and a 52-68 loss at Western Michigan). In contrast, the Herd hit on 49.2% of its shots (31-63), connected on 38.5% of its three-point attempts (5-13), and turned the ball over only nine times.
Marshall's Ronald Blackshear led all scorers with 20 points. The junior from Camilla, Ga., scored 17 of his points in the first half and wowed the crowed with two long-range three-pointers that were launched from 27-30 feet away from the basket. He finished the contest four of 10 from behind the arc.
In addition to Blackshear, Marshall received double-digit scoring performances from Marvin Black (19), Monty Wright (15), and Ardo Armpalu (10). Black also recorded a game-high nine rebounds.
Akron was led by Andy Hipsher's 16 points and Derrick Tarver's 12. Hipsher also led the Zips with nine rebounds.
Marshall edged Akron in rebounding, 38-32, and outscored the Zips in the paint, 50-34.
The Thundering Herd will attempt to extend its current winning streak to three games when it travels to Oxford, Ohio, Saturday for a key MAC East contest.
The RedHawks (9-11 overall, and 7-4 MAC) currently sit in second place in the division, just ahead of the third-place Thundering Herd. Tip is set for 3:00 p.m. and the game will be televised live by the Thundering Herd/ISP Sports Network (WSAZ-TV in Huntington/Charleston).
