Marshall University Athletics
Thundering Herd Men's Basketball Hosts Troy
12/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.--Marshall University (6-1) hosts Troy University (5-3) Saturday night in the Cam Henderson Center. The game begins a home-and-home series between Marshall and Troy that will conclude Dec. 28 at Troy. The Trojans defeated the Herd 77-72 Nov. 23, 2001 in the only previous meeting between the two schools.
Troy is coming off a 81-77 victory at Auburn Dec. 4. The Trojans are led by Brandon Hazzard who is Troy's leading scorer (18.1 ppg). Hazzard, a 6-2 senior guard, is shooting 42% from the field (47-of-111) and 42% from three-point range (22-of-52). Three other Trojans' Richard Delk (14.6), Michael Vogler (11.8), and Yamene Coleman (10.4) are averaging in double figures for Troy. Marshall improved to 15-24 against Sun Belt teams after defeating Middle Tenniesse State 63-60 Nov. 17 in Huntington.
Tyler Wilkerson's (Sr., Lexington, Ky.) 19 points and five rebounds led Marshall University past Binghamton University 69-55 Dec. 7 in the BU Events Center. After a slow start, Greer Wright tied the game a five with a pair of free throws at the 15:26 mark. From there, Marshall mounted an 18-3 run that saw Wilkerson score eight points during the 8+ minute span. The Thundering Herd held Binghamton to seven first half field goals and 31.8% shooting (7-of-31). Marshall, which missed five of its first six shots responded by making 13 of its last 21 attempts to shoot almost 52% for the frame (14-of-27). The Thundering Herd forced 14 turnovers during the opening frame as the Herd took a 37-20 advantage into halftime. The Bearcats scored the first five points on the second half and cut the MU lead to 42-29 heading into the first media timeout of the frame.
A Umur Peten basket cut the to 43-33 with 14:01 to go. Kyrie Sutton's field goal a little over a minute later made it an eight-point contest. BU reduced the MU lead to five when Dylan Talley connected on a three-pointer at 12:14. Moussa Camara's free throws at 11:52 made it a one-possession game at 43-40. Binghamton held Marshall without a point for 4:40 before Johnson's putback of a Pitts miss with 11:15 remaining got the Herd lead back to five. The Thundering Herd missed five free throw attempts during that time. A Darryl Merthie (Sr., Sanford, Fla.) three-pointer got the lead to eight, but BU made the next two field goals to return the game to 48-44. Whiteside's field goal created a 50-44 MU lead. Antonio Haymon's (Sr., Washington, D.C.) free throws on the next Marshall possession made it 52-44. Sutton returned the favor the next time down for Binghamton and got the Bearcats to within a two-possession game at 52-46.
A nip-and-tuck affair followed. With 4:03 remaining and Marshall leading 60-53, MU's 7-0 forward, Hassan Whiteside (Fr., Gastonia, N.C.), connected on the first three-pointer of his career to give the Herd a 10-point lead. Talley's free throws 20 seconds later reduced the Marshall advantage back into single digits. A Herd turnover gave the ball back to the Bearcats with a little over three minutes to play, but Whiteside blocked a Bu shot which led to Damier Pitts (So., Charlotte, N.C.) being fouled with 2:40 to go. A 95% free throw shooter in the final five minutes of the game in his career, the 5-10 guard missed both attempts. Chreiten Lukusa missed a pair of free throws, however BU got the offensive rebound, but Whiteside again blocked a Bearcats' shot. Whiteside made a 17-footer on the MU offensive set to get the lead back into double-digits at 65-55.
After a Binghamton turnover, the Herd pounded the ball into Whiteside. He was double-teamed. Whiteside found a cutting Wilkerson for a dunk and a 12-point lead. Shaquille Johnson (So., Jacksonville, Fla.) hit on a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to go for the final 69-55. Wilkerson went 8-of-12 from the field, dished out a team high three assists and made two steals. Whiteside ended the night with 12 points, five rebounds, and five blocks. Chris Lutz (Sr., Bedford, N.H.) and Dago Pena (So., Punta Gorda, Fla.) each scored 11. Pena led the team with four steals. Marshall is 6-1 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The 2000-01 edition of the Thundering Herd went 18-9.
Saturday's night game features the Four 4 Fourty promotion. Fans can purchase four tickets, four hotdogs, four drinks, and four popcorns for $40. Tickets can be purchased at www.herdzone.com or 800-THE-HERD.
Marshall football player Cody Slate will be honored during the game (second media timeout of the first half) when he is presented with the College Sports Performance Awards Elite Tight End Trophy for being the top tight end in college football during his career.
