Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Jackson State
@HerdMBB with Late Surge Defeats Jackson State 71-61
11/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall men's basketball team improved to 4-0 after a second half rally helped the Herd pull away from Jackson State, 71-61. The Tigers fall to 1-3.
The Tigers held on to the ball and drained the clock for most of its possessions to try and hold back Marshall's fast attacking offense. Marshall took the early lead, 5-2, and then Jackson State took off on an 8-0 run to grab a five-point lead. The Herd came back to tie it at 10-10 with two free throws from Terrence Thompson and a three by Austin Loop.
The Tigers had the lead for most of the first hal,f but never by more than five points. Loop and Jon Elmore led the way for Marshall in the opening half with eight points each. The Herd shot 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from the floor and 30 percent (3-of-10) from the beyond the arc.
Edric Dennis and Paris Collins had 14 points each for Jackson State in the first half and the Tigers held a one-point advantage at the intermission, 35-34.
With 16:08 remaining in the second half, Marshall gained its first lead, 39-38, since the 17:40 mark in the first half. The game remained a back and forth battle over the next six minutes. Marshall took the lead for good at 47-45 with 11:39 left in the contest with a layup by Elmore. The Herd began to pull away, little by little, with key dunks and tough made baskets that fired up the crowd.
Thompson and Elmore dominated in the final minutes to close out the victory and ended the night leading the Herd with 20 points each. Thompson added nine rebounds and two steals.
COACH'S CORNER
Head coach Dan D'Antnoi
On the game:
It was an odd game because they paced every possession that they had. When you play like that, it's a tough game to get into a rhythm, if you're a fast paced team like we are. It was an exciting game, but you know me, I like to play fast pace. This game was why we really concentrated on our defensive shooting, so that you can play one of these games. Where they're going to tempo the game on you and we can rely on our defense to win a ball game.
On the second half adjustment:
In the second half, Jackson State's shooting percentages were 33 and 28. I thought our defense was outstanding. [Jackson State] couldn't get into any sets. For our size, our rebounding was good, could be better. I was proud of our kids.
On Jackson State and Paris Collins:
This is team that barely missed the playoffs last year, and had almost everyone coming back. They have the preseason Player of the Year, Paris Collins, who lit it up from about 40 feet, I thought, probably about 30, but looked about 40 from our bench. You have to give them kudos. They came in here determined to win this game.
On facing Jackson State's upperclassmen:
I looked on the floor and we had two freshman, a sophomores and two juniors. I thought they held in there and played well. I was proud of them.
PLAYER QUOTES
No. 33 junior guard Jon Elmore
On why you play two halves:
"We definitely came out a little bit slow. Credit to them, they were hitting shots and getting up in us. They were kind of controlling the game and the tempo. I think we rattled them a bit in the second half, turned it up a little bit on defense and started getting some easy baskets. We started playing Marshall basketball and I think that's what turned the game around."
On Jackson State guarding Browning:
"It looked like they kind of keyed in on Stevie (Browning) tonight and it didn't seem like he got in his normal rhythm. He's a great player for us and does a lot of great things. But a lot of guys stepped up tonight so I don't think any one person really dominated. That was a definite team effort tonight."
On the second half execution:
"We ran our stuff. We executed a little bit better. We got the flow going. Seemed like we kind of started a little bit stagnant but in the second half we got flowing. We got Terrence dunking on a bunch of people, couple of easy layups, couple of open shots and that took off for us."
No. 1 junior forward Terrence Thompson
On the win and getting ready for Ohio State:
"It was a great win for us. Now we're 4-0 but we still have a lot of work to do over the next couple days to get ready for Ohio State but I think we're going to be ready. Coach D'Antoni is proud of our effort so far but we still have a lot of work to do."
On coming out in the second half:
"We didn't match their intensity to start the game. They came out with a lot of energy on defense and offense. We just didn't match it but we came out in the second half with the game plan to match their intensity. Run our stuff and it worked out for us."
POSTGAME NOTES
- Marshall improved to 4-0 for the first time under head coach Dan D'Antoni. It is the first time it has done so since the 2011-12 seasaon.
- The Herd is now 24-11 at home under D'Antoni.
- Marshall did not score at least 80 points for the first time in the 2016-17 season.
- The Herd held its fourth opponent of the season to under 70 points. It did so only four times during the 2015-16 season.
- It was the first time all season where Marshall did not have lead going into halftime.
- Terrence Thompson tied a career-high with 20 points. He has now scored in double-figures in three of the last four games, which is a career first.
- Jon Elmore had his second straight game of scoring at least 20 points. He has now scored in double-figures every game this season.
- Elmore had a season-high seven assists vs. Jackson State.
- Freshman Ky're Allison made his first collegiate field goals. He finished with five points.
- Freshman Phil Bledsoe had a career-high seven points and five rebounds.
- Jackson State closed out the Herd's homestand of six straight games (two exhibition) to begin the season.
- Austin Loop has yet to miss a free throw this season. He has gone 8-of-8 from the line thus far.
- Loop has also made at least two three-pointers in every game this season. He has made a three-pointer in nine straight games, which dates back to the 2015-16 season.
- The team as a whole had a season-high seven steals.
- Marshall had a season-high 21 bench points.
#STAMPEDE16
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UP NEXT
Marshall will go on its first road trip to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday, Nov. 25, at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. It will be the first time the two teams have met since the 1977-78 season. Ohio State holds a 1-0 lead in the series.
