Marshall University Athletics
@HerdMBB to Host League Leaders Middle Tennessee
2/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GAME 23: MARSHALL (15-11, 8-5 C-USA) vs. MIDDLE TENNESSEE (23-4, 13-1 C-USA)
Saturday, Feb. 18 | 6 p.m. ET
Huntington, W.Va. | Cam Henderson Center (9,048)
ASN | Radio | | Marshall Game Notes | Middle Tennessee Game Notes | Twitter
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall men's basketball team (15-11, 8-5 C-USA) will meet the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders for the second time this season on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Henderson Center. The game will be broadcasted by ASN with Mike Gleason handling play-by-play and Mac McCarthy as the analyst.
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 and Woody Woodrum handling the analysis. Live stats will be available through HerdZone.com.
HAVE YOU HERD
Marshall registered its first win over the Blazers since January 11, 2012 in Birmingham with a 61-59 victory. It was the team's first win over UAB in Huntington since January 19, 2008 in a 62-57 win. Since 2008, the team has lost five times at home to the Blazers by six points or less. The win is only the team's second win this season scoring under 80 points (71-61 victory over Jackson State). Ryan Taylor's seven rebounds were enough to move him into top-10 in Conference USA history in career rebounds. The team is now 3-0 when tied at halftime this season, as the score was tied at 34-34 at the break. Ajdin Penava recorded his first career double-double, as he set a new career high in rebounds with 10. His previous high was eight, a feat he accomplished twice earlier this year at Cincinnati and at Florida International.
SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS
Middle Tennessee is the reigning C-USA tournament winner and is coming off a season where it made the NCAA Tournament. After defeating the Vanderbilt Commodores earlier in the season, Middle Tennessee received votes in the AP poll for the first time since the 2013 season. It is currently repeating that feat, as it received three votes in the latest poll. The Blue Raiders were projected to finish second overall in the C-USA preseason poll conducted by C-USA coaches. Middle Tennessee is No. 1 in C-USA and has only suffered one loss in league play.
WHO TO KNOW
The Blue Raiders (Reggie Upshaw and JaCorey Williams) and Marshall (Jon Elmore, Stevie Browning and Ryan Taylor) are one of two teams in C-USA that have multiple players that have won C-USA Player of the Week honors this season.
Reggie Upshaw is one of two active players in the league to put up at least 1,300 points and 750 rebounds.
Giddy Potts is one of the most accurate three-point specialists in the nation, as he shoots 42.9 percent from behind the arc.
The trio of Williams, Upshaw and Potts nearly combine for 50 points per outing. If the high-scoring trio can all finish the season at or above 15 points per game, they would be the first to do so at MT under Head Coach Kermit Davis. MT's big three have each logged 10 or more points in the same game 15 times this season, tied with Marshall's Stevie Browning, Jon Elmore and Ryan Taylor for the most occurrences in Conference USA.
SERIES HISTORY
Marshall will meet Middle Tennessee for the 13th contest between the two sides. It is a series that dates back to the 1975-76 season, but was renewed recently thanks to the Blue Raiders joining C-USA. Middle leads the series, 9-3.
LAST TIME
The Marshall men's basketball team suffered its first loss in league play when it fell to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 69-57, at the Charles M. Murphy Athletic Center.
Senior forward Ryan Taylor (Indianapolis) led the Herd with 12 points and eight rebounds and senior guard Stevie Browning (Charleston, W.Va.) added 11 points. JaCorey Williams collected a double-double and led the Blue Raiders with a game-high 16 points and 11 rebounds.
#ONEHERD
For all the latest information about Marshall men's basketball, follow @HerdMBB on Twitter and Instagram.
UP NEXT
Marshall will make its last road trip of the regular season when it travels to Norfolk, Va., to take on the Old Dominion Monarchs on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 8 p.m. BeIN will broadcast the game.
