November 7, 2018,  Uncategorized  No comments

Herd Opens the Season against Eastern Kentucky

By Michael Morgan

The Marshall Thundering Herd open up the 2018-2019 season Wednesday on the road against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

“We’re going to play hard. They’ll put on a show,” head coach Dan D’Antoni said about his team.

The Colonels finished last season with a record of 11-20 (5-13 Ohio Valley Conference), and return their leading scorer senior Nick Mayo, the 6-foot-9 power forward. Mayo averaged 18 points and just under seven rebounds per game last season.

Marshall finished last season 27-11 (13-5 Conference USA) overall and won the Conference USA tournament, resulting in the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 31 years.

The Herd defeated Eastern Kentucky last season at home, 91-71, led by Jon Elmore and C.J. Burks scoring 26 and 25 points respectively. The key to Marshall’s success in this game, as well as the season will be the nation’s best scoring duo of teammates of Elmore and Burks.

The two senior guards were the only pair of teammates in the country to average 20 points per game in the 2017-2018 season. “It’s very unusual to have two guards average 20 points,” D’Antoni said. “Just looking forward to watching them do some spectacular things.”

The Herd come into the game on Wednesday having won their two exhibition games against Glenville State and West Virginia Wesleyan.

Marshall will feature many new faces to the team, including the anticipated debuts of freshmen Iran Bennet and Taevion Kinsey in actual game action. Bennet figures to replace Ajdin Penava, who is playing overseas in Spain, in the starting lineup this season.

Kinsey put on a show during the dunk contest for spectators during Herd Madness, its purpose to increase anticipation for the upcoming season.

“I knew (Kinsey) was athletic, but I didn’t realize how smart he was. He surprised me with his fundamentals,” D’Antoni said about the player who has surprised him most this offseason.

When discussing the game against the Colonels, Kinsey said, “I’ll just play the game that I know, use my minutes wisely when I get in the game, and use them to the fullest.”

Point guard Jarrod West, now a sophomore, will look to build on his legacy that was highlighted during the NCAA Tournament in March.

“He plays like a senior. Whichever team he is on in practice usually wins. He hit a pair of big threes against Wichita State,” D’Antoni said.

D’Antoni also referred to the hometown West and Elmore as “gym rats” and said they are “hard working, West Virginia kids.”

Being predicted by coaches around Conference USA to finish second and not repeat as conference champions, the Herd has discussed the difficulties of being returning champs and maintaining success. “Both are hard. I think we overcame a lot. There was a lot of disinterest,” D’Antoni said.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in the Alumni Coliseum in Richmond, Kentucky. The Herd look to start the season 1-0 on the road, building momentum for their return home to play Hoftstra on Sunday.