Marshall University Athletics
Southern Miss on Deck for @HerdMBB
1/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GAME 21: MARSHALL (5-15, 1-6 C-USA) VS. SOUTHERN MISS (6-12, 1-6 C-USA)
Thursday, Jan. 29 | 8 p.m. ET
Hattiesburg, Miss. | Reed Green Coliseum (8,095)
| Live Video | Live Radio | Twitter
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Looking to build on its first league win last week against UTEP, Marshall men's basketball (5-15, 1-6) will face Southern Miss (6-12, 1-6) at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss.
In addition to live tweets from @HerdMBB, live stats and live video streaming will be available through SouthernMiss.com. The official live radio broadcast can be found on the Thundering Herd IMG Sports Network and College Sports Live.
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall received balanced production with four scorers in double figures Saturday, and the Thundering Herd ended its losing streak with a 78-71 Conference USA men's basketball victory over UTEP before a crowd of 5,302 at the Henderson Center. The Herd snapped a 15-game skid against Division I teams and a nine-game losing streak overall, as junior guard Justin Edmonds scored a career- and game-high 20 points, hitting 5-of-9 from 3-point range - including 4-of-6 in the first half.
SIGH OF RELIEF
The Herd narrowly avoided one of its longest loss streaks in program history when it defeated UTEP on Saturday. The win stopped a nine-game slump, extending from Dec. 20 to Jan. 22. Marshall's longest loss streak lasted 12 games in 1991-92, when the Herd finished 7-22 under coach Dwight Freeman. The second longest streak was 10 games in 1964-65, in a 4-20 season under Ellis Johnson.
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
As Marshall (1-6) and Southern Miss (1-6) are each coming off their first league win of the year, the loser of Thursday's game will fall into last place in the conference. On Saturday, the Herd defeated UTEP at home (78-71), while Southern Miss topped North Texas on the road in overtime (75-71). Each game ended a nine-game losing streak.
STIFF COMPETITION
Marshall has played three Associated Press-ranked teams in the 2014-15 season - No. 7 Louisville, No. 22 West Virginia and No. 25 Old Dominion. Coach Dan D'Antoni is the first coach in his first season with the Herd to face that many poll-sitting teams since 1990-91, when Coach Dwight Freeman's first team played five ranked opponents in Nos. 12 and 13 East Tennessee State (twice), No. 11 Pitt, No. 19 Virginia and No. 5 Indiana. Those five are the most ranked opponents any Marshall team has played in one season.
SON OF MARSHALL
Of 351 Division I men's basketball programs, Marshall coach Dan D'Antoni is one of 29 head coaches employed by his alma mater. Other prominent names include Kevin Ollie of defending NCAA champion Connecticut, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim, Bob Huggins, Matt Painter, Mick Cronin, Lorenzo Romar, Dave Rice and Keith Dambrot. Williams and Boeheim are inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
D'Antoni is only C-USA coach working at his alma mater. The Herd has faced two teams coached by alumni this season: Bob Huggins of West Virginia and Keith Dambrot at Akron.
Another note - D'Antoni (1970 MU alum) is one of three Marshall alumni who are active Division I coaches, joined by Kevin Keatts (2011 MU alum) of UNC Wilmington and Brian Fish (1989 MU alum) at Montana State.
LET'S GET SOCIAL
Keep up with the latest news about Herd basketball by liking the team's official Facebook page: Marshall University Basketball. For live in-game updates and news, follow @HerdMBB on Twitter. Want to see photos and behind-the-scenes action? Give @HerdMBB a follow on Instagram.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Southern Miss (6-12, 1-6) captured its first league victory on Saturday in a 75-71 overtime win at North Texas. The win ended a nine game losing streak for the Eagles. USM lists three double-figure scorers in Matt Bingaya (14.1), Chip Armelin (14.0) and Norville Carey (10.4). As a team, Southern Miss posts a 44.5 shooting percentage from the field while allowing opponents a league-high 46.9 percent.
The Herd holds a 9-8 advantage in the all-time series, and is 1-6 when playing on the road. Marshall's lone win in Hattiesburg came Dec. 28, 1988 (103-97). Last season, the Herd dropped a 60-57 contest on Feb. 7, 2014, at Reed Green Coliseum.
UP NEXT
The Herd will take on the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 5:30 p.m. ET in Ruston, La. For all the latest information about Marshall men's basketball, follow @HerdWBB on Twitter.
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