Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Men Host UTEP Saturday Night
1/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2006
Marshall Gamenotes
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UTEP Gamenotes
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall and UTEP will tangle in a Conference USA matchup Saturday evening at the Henderson Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
UTEP and Marshall have met one time in the history of both schools - that game came during the 1972-73 season at the Bayou Classic in Lafayette, La., when the Herd came away with a 64-62 win over the Miners.
UTEP enters Saturday's game atop the C-USA standings with a perfect 3-0 conference record, with wins coming over SMU, East Carolina, and Tulane. Overall, the Miners are 10-5 on the season. John Tofi leads three players in double figures, averaging 14.6 points per game. Jason Williams is averaging 14.2 points per contest, and Miguel Ayala adds 10.5 points per game. Tofi also leads UTEP on the glass, averaging 9.3 rebounds per game.
In the Herd's last time out, Marshall dropped a 66-57 decision to Tulsa Wednesday night to fall to 7-8 overall, 1-2 in Conference USA. The Herd hung around for most of the night, but could not convert at the free throw line to overcome the Golden Hurricane - Marshall was a paltry 54.5% from the line (12-22). The Herd also got outrebounded by Tulsa, 32-31, on the night. Joe Miles led Marshall with 16 points off of the Herd bench. Mark Patton added 11 points, and Markel Humphrey chipped in 10 points for Marshall.
The Thundering Herd's tough stretch of home games continues Saturday with UTEP in Huntington. It marks the third straight 2005 NCAA Tournament team to play in the Henderson Center - Marshall took on George Washington on January 7, and UAB on January 14. After tonight's contest, the Herd will have five more home games, three of which will come against teams that made postseason play in 2005 (Rice, Memphis, UCF).
Patton continues to lead the Thundering Herd in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.0 points and 6.5 rebound per game, respectively. Two bench players, Travis Aikens (Orlando, Fla.) and Joe Miles (Forestville, Md.), are next at 11.7 and 11.0 points per contest.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and can be heard live in the region on the ISP/Thundering Herd Radio Network, or on the Internet at www.HerdZone.com.
