Marshall Triumphs Over Coastal, Securing a 77-64 Victory

Conway, S.C. – Josh Meo and Denzel Hines each recorded 13 points for Coastal Carolina, yet it fell short as Marshall surged ahead in the second half for a 77-64 triumph in a Sun Belt conference clash on Saturday afternoon at the HTC Center.
 
Hines also led his squad with nine rebounds and achieved a flawless 5-of-5 from the charity stripe, but the outcome marked the Chants’ fourth consecutive defeat, bringing the team’s record to 8-11 overall and 1-6 in the conference. Rasheed Jones and Noah Amenhauser added nine points each, while Jordan Battle contributed six points. Nonetheless, it was Hines’ performance that stood out the most to his coach.
 
“He’s our junkyard dog. That’s precisely who he is,” remarked Coastal head coach Justin Gray about his 6’7″ senior forward from Fontana, Calif. “However, everyone on the team is giving their all out there. We just didn’t manage the basketball adequately in the second half. Nonetheless, credit to them, as Marshall is playing exceptionally well. They created several challenging match-ups for us.”
 
Marshall had four players scoring in double digits, led by 6’8″ forward Obinna Anochili-Killen, who netted 23 points, allowing the Thundering Herd to enhance their record to 11-9 overall and 4-3 in the Sun Belt. The two teams exchanged the lead five times during the second half before the visitors pulled away to establish a 12-point edge at 60-48 with eight minutes remaining, subsequently maintaining a comfortable advantage by converting 8-11 free throws in the closing moments.
 
Coastal had a sluggish start and endured a 16-2 scoring rampage from Marshall at the outset, which elevated the score to 18-6. However, they gradually rebounded to keep the score tight by the end of the first period. The Chanticleers concluded the first half with a 9-2 run, as Battle netted a three-pointer from the key, and Meo capped the run with a bucket from an offensive rebound, reducing Coastal’s deficit to just 30-29 at halftime.
 
From that point, Meo nailed a short jumper to complete a 6-0 scoring run that put Coastal on top 37-35. This marked the Chants’ first lead since it was 4-2. Coastal also held a lead at 42-41 when Naz Brown maneuvered inside for a difficult layup, but Marshall subsequently embarked on a 7-0 run to assume a 48-42 advantage with 12 minutes remaining, and the Thundering Herd maintained their lead for the duration.
 
Coastal shot 21-of-52 from the field (40 percent) but only managed 4-of-14 from beyond the arc (29 percent). Marshall achieved six more field goals and four additional from three-point territory to create the disparity.
 
Coastal has four away games lined up before returning to host South Alabama at 4 p.m. on Feb. 5 (Sat.).
 
For thorough coverage of CCU men’s basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com.