Marshall University Athletics
Men's Basketball Set For Memphis On Saturday
1/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2011
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Thundering Herd men's basketball team will resume league play, traveling to Memphis to face off against the Tigers at 12 p.m. Saturday at FedEx Forum.
Marshall, who begins the weekend with a 12-4 record, will look for its first win over the Tigers since the 1952-53 season when it took a 102-76 win. Since then, Memphis has won seven-straight, including all six meetings since both institutions have been a part of Conference USA.
Senior Tirrell Baines became the 46th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, doing so in MU's first possession of the home win against Savannah State. Baines stands at 1,007 for his career. With 46 1,000-point scorers, Marshall stands ninth in the nation, tied with West Virginia and Cincinnati. The Herd also has more career 1,000-point scorers than any other mid-major school.
Reigning C-USA Freshman of the Week DeAndre Kane led Marshall last time out against Savannah State, tallying a team-high 18 points to go along with seven boards. Damier Pitts, who has scored 13 or more points in six of seven games, recorded 15. Over the last two games, Pitts has been stellar from the free throw line, hitting 19-of-20.
The Tigers come into Saturday's game with an overall record of 12-4. On Wednesday, Memphis fell on the road at SMU, 64-58, to even its C-USA record at 1-1. The Tigers are 1-2 in their last three games. Sandwiched between losses to Tennessee and SMU was a 61-58 win in its league opener against East Carolina. Will Barton is the top scorer for Memphis, averaging 12.1 PPG. Wesley Witherspoon is averaging 11.5.
Tip on Saturday is set for 12 p.m. ET and will be televised on WSAZ and CSS. On Wednesday, the Herd will face off against West Virginia in the annual Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic in Charleston, W.Va.
