Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Wyoming
Kelly, @HerdMBB Take Down Wyoming, 90-82
12/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS - Senior forward James Kelly (Ann Arbor, Mich.) poured in a career-high 38 points for Marshall men's basketball (4-7) in a 90-82 win over Wyoming (7-5) at the Global Sports Classic at Cox Pavilion on Monday night.
Kelly's 38 points are the most for a Thundering Herd player since DeAndre Kane had 40 against Tulsa on March 8, 2012. He added 13 rebounds for his league-leading fifth double-double. He has reached double-figure scoring in every game of the season, an 11-game streak. Sophomore point guard Jon Elmore (Charleston, W.Va.) was the only other Herd player to reach double-figure scoring against the Cowboys, with 13 points.
"I thought he had a good combination of both [outside and inside shots]," Herd coach Dan D'Antoni said. "He just has to understand he has to take over ball games. He's capable of doing that. I think tonight he did it. All in all, a good victory for us in Vegas."
In the opening three minutes, there were two lead changes and one tie. Kelly had seven of the Herd's first 10 points, and ended the half leading the team with 16 points and four rebounds. Marshall went on a 9-2 to go up 17-8 at 14:49, and pushed its lead to as many as 10 points (21-11) at 12:38.
The Cowboys answered with a 12-0 run to steal the lead away (23-21) at 9:15. The score tied thrice more, with the last at 3:00 (37-37). From that point, Marshall closed the half on a 7-0 run, thanks to a jumper by Kelly, a put-back layup from sophomore forward Terrence Thompson (Durham, N.C.) and a 3-pointer by junior guard Austin Loop (South Webster, Ohio). In total, after five ties and six lead changes, the Herd held a 44-37 lead at halftime.
Wyoming opened the second half on a 13-2 run, taking back the lead and extending it to as many as four (50-46) at 15:44. However, Marshall kept its composure and went on a 10-2 run to re-gain the lead (56-52) and did not surrender. The Cowboys cut their deficit to as few as one point with 2:11 remaining (77-76) but could not overcome the Herd's advantage. Strategic clock usage and cool free-throw shooting down the stretch landed the Herd on the right side of the ultimate tally, 90-82.
The Herd out-shot the Cowboys, 48.4 percent (30-of-62) to 46.4 percent (26-of-56) and had the advantage in rebounding, 38-28. Marshall had its best outing from the free throw line of the year thus far, sinking 19-of-22 (86.4 percent).
MILESTONES
- James Kelly: 38 points, career high
- Terrence Thompson: 4 points, career high
- C.J. Burks: 4 assists, tied career high
ONE FOR THE ROAD
Marshall's defeat of Wyoming was its first non-conference win away from Huntington since an 80-58 win over District of Columbia on Nov. 16, 2012.
GLOBAL SPORTS CLASSIC
Entering Tuesday's game against Grand Canyon, the Herd is 3-0 in the 2015 Global Sports Classic. Marshall won each of its two campus-site games as part of the eight-team event, defeating Eastern Illinois (Dec. 9) and N.C. Central (Dec. 12) at Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W.Va.
UP NEXT
The Herd will take on Grand Canyon on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. ET to complete the Global Sports Classic at Cox Pavilion. For the latest information about Marshall men's basketball, follow @HerdMBB on Twitter.
---HerdZone.com---
