Marshall University Athletics
Contending @HerdMBB to Visit League-Leading UAB, Thursday
2/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GAME 28: MARSHALL (15-12, 11-3) AT (RV) UAB (22-5, 12-2)
Thursday, Feb. 25 | 8 p.m. ET
Birmingham, Ala. | Bartow Arena (8,500)
Live Video | | Radio | Twitter
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall men's basketball (15-12, 11-3) will look to continue its winning ways when it challenges (RV) UAB (22-5, 12-2) for a share of the Conference USA lead on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Ala.
In addition to coverage from @HerdMBB on Twitter and Instagram, the game can be found on the Thundering Herd IMG Sports Network with Steve Cotton on the call. Live video and live stats will be available through uabsports.com.
HAVE YOU HERD?
A crowd of 8,520 appeared Saturday night at Cam Henderson Center, and while it was the largest attendance for a Marshall basketball game in nearly five years, the loud spectator presence wasn't most crucial. That's because Ryan Taylor (Indianapolis) showed up again, too.
Taylor, the Herd's veteran leader who 48 hours earlier endured a foul-curbed game against Charlotte that left him without a field goal for the first time in his career, bounced back with a double-double against visiting Old Dominion. His 23 points and 12 rebounds - not to mention Marshall's "earn-it" defense on Monarchs' star guard Trey Freeman - paved the way to an 82-65 Conference USA victory and a season sweep of ODU. With the victory, the Herd matched its highest league win total in 11 seasons in the Texas-rooted conference.
A WIN WOULDââ'¬Â¦
- Give the Herd a share of the Conference USA lead, tied with UAB
- Snap the Blazers' 23-game home win streak (fifth-longest in the nation)
- Be the Herd's first against UAB since Jan. 11, 2012 (61-59, in Birmingham), snapping a six-game losing streak against the Blazers
- Be the Herd's first against the Blazers under Dan D'Antoni (0-2 all-time)
- Give the Herd its most wins in a season (16) since going 21-14 in 2011-12, and set a program record for Conference USA wins (12)
- Give Marshall its best 15-game start to league play since going 13-2 during the 1987-88 Southern Conference regular-season championship campaign under Rick Huckabay, when the Herd ended at 14-2
KELLY EARNS THIRD C-USA WEEKLY HONOR
Senior forward James Kelly (Ann Arbor, Mich.) was named Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. Kelly posted the Herd's first 20/20 game in 43 years with 27 points and a career-high 23 rebounds against Charlotte on Thursday, Feb. 18. His 23 rebounds are the individual high for a C-USA player this year, and rank No. 2 among 2015-16 Division I men's basketball players.
The honor is the third of Kelly's season, and he is the first Herd player to earn the award more than once. He previously earned the accolade on Jan. 11, 2016, and Dec. 28, 2015.
SCOUTING THE BLAZERS
UAB (22-5, 12-2) sits one game ahead of the Herd Conference USA's top spot, and received one vote in this week's AP Top 25. The Blazers own the nation's fifth-longest home win streak of 23 games, with their last loss at Bartow Arena coming Dec. 18, 2014, vs. LSU. UAB leads the league in field goal percentage (.487), assists per game (18.7) and blocks per game (6.4). William Lee is the No. 3 shot blocker in the country, with 3.19 swats per game. Nick Norton holds a 3.41 assist-to-turnover ratio, good for 16th place in the nation.
Marshall is looking to snap a six-game losing streak in the series versus the Blazers. Three of the Herd's six all-time wins against UAB have come in Birmingham, with the last on Jan. 11, 2012 (61-59).
#BEHERD
Stay up-to-date on all things Herd men's basketball via social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat (username: HerdZone).
UP NEXT
The Herd will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to face Middle Tennessee for a second time at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday. For the latest information about Marshall men's basketball, follow @HerdMBB on Twitter.
---HerdZone.com---
