Marshall University Athletics
Marshall To Hook Up With #3-Ranked Memphis Saturday Evening
2/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2006
Marshall GameNotes
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Memphis GameNotes
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HUNTINGTON - The Thundering Herd gets its shot against #3-ranked, C-USA-leading, Memphis Saturday afternoon at the Henderson Center. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m., with the game set for national television on CSTV.
Marshall (9-12, 2-6) and Memphis (21-2, 7-0) will meet for the third time on the hardwood Saturday afternoon, with the series tied at one game apiece. The Herd won the only meeting in Huntington on December 23, 1952, 102-76, and the Tigers claimed the game in Memphis, 104-85, on December 11, 1953.
Memphis will be the highest ranked team to ever play in the 24-year history of the Henderson Center. East Tennessee State, ranked #13 in the AP Poll during the 1990-91 season, was the highest before the Tigers' arrival. Marshall won the game against the Bucs, 107-103, behind Marshall legend John Taft's 43-point, 13-rebound senior-night performance.
Marshall did face a #3-ranked team in the 1960-61 season in Huntington when Cincinnati came to town at Memorial Fieldhouse. The Bearcats upended the Herd, 69-57, and later went on to win the national championship that season.
The Herd has had its shot against two of the best teams in the country so far this season, both within the state of West Virginia. George Washington, currently ranked 8th in both polls, visited the Henderson Center earlier this year and escaped with a 79-73 win in overtime, and West Virginia, who is currently 9th in the AP and 10th in the Coaches Poll, lost to its intrastate rival in Charleston, W.Va., 58-52, on January 25.
Memphis enters the game with a 21-2 overall record and sport an unbeaten, 7-0, record in Conference USA play. The Tigers are also riding a 10-game winning streak. Preseason Player-of-the-Year selection Rodney Carney is the Tigers' leading scorer, averaging 18.0 points per game. Darius Washington adds 13.8 points per contest, and Shawne Williams chips in 13.3 points per game. Joey Dorsey leads Memphis on the glass with 8.0 rebounds a game.
In Marshall's last time out, the Herd lost to Rice Wednesday night, 78-75, in overtime, despite making a late run in regulation to send the game to an extra period. Marshall's LaVar Carter (Louisville, Ky.) tipped in a Chris Ross (San Antonio, Texas) free throw with three seconds remaining to tie the game at 69 and send it to overtime. However, it was not enough, as Rice broke through in the overtime period to come away with the victory. The Herd had trouble containing the league's leading scorer, Morris Almond, who scored 36 points and grabbed ten rebounds. Mark Patton (Barboursville, W.Va.) led the Herd effort with 26 points and nine rebounds. Patton leads the Herd, averaging 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.
Numerous promotions are also on tap for Saturday afternoon. Fans are encouraged to wear white for a "White Out" promotion for the game, and 2,000 white T-shirts will be given away. Thunder Towels will also be handed out to the first 350 students who arrive for the game.
In addition, the Extreme Team, formerly known as the Budweiser DareDevils, will perform at halftime.
As of Friday night, there are currently only 800 tickets remaining for Saturday afternoon's contest. The Marshall University ticket office will open early on Saturday at 11 a.m. for fans interested in buying tickets.
