Exploring the Heart of Thundering Herd: A Journey Through Marshall University

Box Score (PDF) | Championship Fund

CONWAY, S.C. – The Marshall University Men’s Basketball squad (11-9, 4-3 SBC) achieved a 77-64 victory on Saturday afternoon against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (8-11, 1-6) in Conway, South Carolina.

“It feels great to finally alleviate the pressure,” Herd Men’s Basketball Head Coach Corny Jackson expressed following the team’s road triumph. “I believed our players responded well, particularly when they (Coastal Carolina) made an effort late in the first half just before halftime. Then in the second half, they came out strong during the initial five to ten minutes. But our players answered back impressively, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Obinna Anochili-Killen recorded a season-high 23 points, marking his first 20-point game of the season, with an 8-for-15 shooting performance and four blocks. Dezayne Mingo contributed 18 points, almost achieving a triple-double with eight rebounds and seven assists on his statistics.

With 16 points, Jalen Speer succeeded in five of his eight field-goal attempts, connecting on 4-for-6 from three-point range. Mikal Dawson completed the lineup of four MU players scoring in double figures with 10 points.

After heading into halftime with a slim one-point advantage, 30-29, The Herd intensified their game both offensively and defensively in the second half. Throughout the final 20 minutes, Marshall recorded a shooting percentage of 57.1 percent from the floor (16-for-28), including 50 percent from beyond the arc (5-for-10), while compelling CCU into seven of their 12 turnovers.

The Chanticleers seized their first lead since the 17:14 mark of the opening half at 37-25 with 16:25 remaining in the contest. However, MU strung together a 9-2 run from the 14:50 point to 12:02, taking the lead at 48-42, capped off by a Dawson three-pointer.

The Herd then utilized a pair of three-pointers from Speer to extend their lead to 12, 60-48, with 8:36 left in the contest. From that point until the final buzzer, MU’s lead dipped below 10 points for only 20 seconds. Marshall’s largest advantage of the game occurred at the 2:25 mark when Mingo converted four consecutive free throws to elevate the lead to 16, 72-56.

The Herd outperformed Coastal Carolina in rebounding, 38-34, and outscored the home team 19-15 in second-chance points.

UP NEXT
Marshall embarks on a two-game road trip in Georgia, beginning Thursday in Atlanta against Georgia State.

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—HerdZone.com—