August 27, 2018,
Basketball 
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Fans’ Excitement for the Herd
The Marshall University men’s basketball team is coming off its second straight 20-plus-win season and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 33 years. Expectations for the upcoming 2018-19 season could not be higher.
Longtime Marshall fan Brandon Bowman has high hopes for the Herd this season. “After winning Conference-USA and then making the tournament last year, I bet they go even further this year!” said Bowman.
The Herd returns four starters, including star point guard Jon Elmore and shooting guard CJ Burks who look to improve their draft stock for the next NBA season.
Center Adjin Penava left to pursue a career in the NBA. Marshall student Taylor Perry says that she will miss the Conference USA leading shot-blocker. “I hate to see him go. He was a great player and one of the best shot-blockers in the nation, but I hear the new guy on the team is supposed to be even better!” said Perry.
via www.herdzone.com
This “new guy” Perry spoke about is center Iran Bennett. The redshirt freshman from Durham,
N.C., is the big man on campus, pun intended. The center is 6 feet 9 inches tall and 350 pounds. Bennett looks to provide some much-needed offensive rebounding and perhaps even an improvement in scoring from the position compared to a season ago.
One spectator seemed slightly aggravated at the lack of “hype” surrounding Bennett. “All I have heard on ‘Sportscenter’ is how Zion Williamson is bigger than any current NBA player at like 6 feet 7 inches tall and some 285 (pounds). Iran is taller and bigger! I can not wait to see him in
action,” said Ethan Chapman.
Someone else who seems to be generating his own excitement is new incoming freshman, Taevion Kinsey from Columbus, Ohio. A video was recently posted on Twitter of Kinsey performing a ridiculous between the legs dunk at the Marshall recreational center. This video was noticed and then re-posted by the “Sportscenter” twitter page with the caption, “ALL the way up #SCtop10.”
Incoming freshmen and new faces seem to interest spectators and fans greatly, but returning Conference USA statistical leader in scoring and assists, Jon Elmore looks to improve his legacy at Marshall and lead the team to another conference championship.
When discussing the season and mentioning Elmore to a few students that follow the team closely, they all referenced the questionable decision of voters to pick Middle Tennessee forward Nick King as the conference player of the year over Elmore last season.
When asked who they believed will win the award this season, they collectively said at the same time, “Elmore!” with excitement.
Also to keep in mind, Elmore will likely become Marshall’s all-time leading scorer. He is 686 points shy of Skip Henderson, which he has surpassed each of the last two seasons.
The name that everyone on campus has grown to love, admire, and look up to: Dan D’antoni. The former Herd-great on the court as a player returned home a few seasons ago and has already changed the entire outlook of the men’s basketball team.
“I love that he brings in some of his best talent locally and sways them away from you know who (referencing WVU),” said alumnus Ben Ferguson.
His iconic t-shirt with a blazer look and great personality has allowed fans to enjoy having him back, and winning Conference USA seems to help too.
After seeing interviews posted and even meeting him on campus, Marshall fans or simply people in general enjoy coach D’antoni. “Honestly I don’t even like basketball but I’ve seen him on campus and he seems like a great guy,” said Mckenzie Lambiotte.
The Thundering Herd do not open their season until November 7th at Eastern Kentucky University but mark your calendars for November 11th, the first home game. Fans are extremely excited for this upcoming season and look forward to packing the Cam Henderson Center. Go Herd!
By Michael Morgan
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