Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
East Carolina*
Marshall Cruises Past ECU, 76-62
2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 25, 2009
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP)--Senior Markel Humphrey had 24 points and eight rebounds and Marshall never trailed in a 76-62 victory over East Carolina on Wednesday night.
The Thundering Herd (13-15, 5-8 Conference USA) jumped out to a 14-2 lead and a 39-28 halftime margin.
Marshall opened the game with a 12-0 run and the closest the Pirates (13-14, 5-9) could get was eight points at 40-32 with 18:03 left.
"I am very proud of our team. They have never quit and tonight they came out and beat a good East Carolina team on its home floor," Marshall Head Coach Donnie Jones said.
Because Marshall also defeated East Carolina 72-64 on Jan. 10, the sweep gives the Thundering Herd the league tiebreaker over the Pirates, who have lost three games in a row and four of five.
Chris Lutz added 15 points for Marshall and Shaquille Johnson and Tirrell Baines had 12 apiece.
Chad Wynn led the Pirates with 16 points, Darrius Morrow had 15 and James Legan added 10. Sam Hinnant, East Carolina's leading scorer, was held to six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field.
The win was Marshall's first C-USA road victory of the season and it snapped a nine-game road losing streak for the Herd.
"We came out and everyone had the hot hand tonight," Marshall's Humphrey said. "We played very well on both ends of the floor and I can't say enough about our overall team effort tonight."
Marshall returns home to face UCF on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game is the nightcap of a double-header with the MU women's team. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-THE-HERD or going online to www.Herdzone.com's ticket center.
