Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
-116, 40 CUSA
FAU
-117, 23 CUSA
MCGILL: Tag team of Burks, Elmore help Herd to top of C-USA
1/17/2019 10:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Word on the Herd
Burks collects second 30-point game of the season
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
Box Score | Dan D'Antoni's Press Conference
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Before a recent practice inside the Henderson Center, Marshall men's basketball coach Dan D'Antoni referred to senior guards Jon Elmore and C.J. Burks as the team's "lead horses."
When those two players are consistent, the fifth-year coach said, then the Herd was going to become a "real hard out" in Conference USA.
By the end of Thursday night, D'Antoni's words were prophetic. Elmore and Burks had combined for 59 points in a 96-84 win against Florida Atlantic, which elicited praise from the coaches on both benches.
"Their all-league guards played like all-league guards," first-year FAU coach Dusty May said. "They took advantage of our weaknesses."
As a result, the Thundering Herd kept its Conference USA record blemish-free at 4-0. Because of UTSA's loss at Middle Tennessee on Thursday night, defending league champion Marshall is the last remaining unbeaten team in C-USA play.
"Jon and C.J. led the way as they have to and they have to be consistent with it," D'Antoni said. "They have to shoulder that responsibility."
Consistent is the perfect word to describe Elmore and Burks against the visiting Owls. Burks scored 15 in the first half and 15 in the second. Elmore had 14 at intermission and 15 after the break. When the Herd needed big shots, the veteran duo was there to convert or create.
FAU (11-7, 2-3 C-USA) took a 1-point lead, 38-37, with 3:06 left of the first half. Marshall (11-6, 4-0 C-USA) answered with a 10-0 run capped by a Burks 3-pointer with 2:06 left and an Elmore 3 with 1:16 remaining of the half.
The Herd led 49-42 at halftime, capitalizing on 15 turnovers by the Owls. Marshall held a 21-2 advantage on points off turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
Early in the second half, though, the Owls chipped away. FAU opened the second half by scoring 13 of the game's first 17 points to take a 55-53 lead, but Marshall responded by scoring 13 unanswered points to stretch its lead to double digits. Burks scored the first 5 points of that run. There were six field goals during the stretch, and Elmore assisted on four of them.
"We're starting to click a little better than we were earlier in the year," Elmore said. "We're fired up moving forward."
The Herd's biggest lead was 14 points, 78-64, with 8:08 left following two Burks free throws. FAU closed to within 5 points, 85-80, following a 3-pointer by Michael Forrest. But Elmore answered with an old-fashioned 3-point play on the other end to stretch the lead back to 8.
"Marshall's guards … they didn't allow us to get over the hump," May said.
Burks finished 8 for 14 shooting – including 2 for 6 from 3-point range – for 30 points. He had his first career game of at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. His final line: 30 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals. He connected on all 12 of his free throws, the ninth player in program history to make at least 10 in a game without a miss.
Elmore, who was 6 for 37 from 3-point range over the last six games, made 4 of 9 from distance for 29 points. He had a game-high seven assists and three steals.
The 59 points are the most from the tag team of Elmore and Burks in a game this season.
"Anytime we get up over 35 percent from the 3-point line and C.J. and Jon are going, it's tough," D'Antoni said. "It's tough on the (opponent)."
NOTES:
Jon Elmore made eight field goals, pushing his career total to 671. He passed Western Kentucky's Justin Johnson for sixth place on the league's all-time list. Elmore's four 3-pointers moved him past Middle Tennessee's Giddy Potts and tied him with Memphis' Rodney Carney for No. 5 in league history. Elmore now has 287 3-pointers, which is six behind Austin Loop for the Marshall school record.
Elmore also passed John Taft for the most free throw attempts in school history with 736. Taft (1987-91) had 734 in his career.
C.J. Burks became the eighth player in Marshall history to attempt 500 3-pointers in a career. Burks now has 505.
With six assists, Burks passed Darryl Merthie (271, 2006-10) for No. 17 on MU's career list. Burks now has 275 career assists.
Marshall extended its win streak against Conference USA competition to eight games.
The Herd has won 29 consecutive games when leading at the half.
Marshall leads the all-time series with FAU, 7-2, and has won six straight meetings.
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a six-time winner of the National Sports Media Association West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year award. In addition to HerdZone.com's Word on the Herd, McGill is the editor of Thundering Herd Illustrated, Marshall's official athletics publication. Follow him on Twitter (@chuckmcgill) and Instagram (wordontheherd).
