The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

College Sports

December 15, 2012

Thundering Herd to meet Bearcats today in Charleston

By Gary Fauber Assistant Sports Editor

Cincinnati is the 11th ranked team in the nation, and will be looking for revenge on top of that.

To fight that off, Marshall will have to do so without the services of its best player.

When the Thundering Herd (6-3) takes on the Bearcats (9-0) at 2 p.m. today at the Charleston Civic Center Coliseum, junior point guard DeAndre Kane will be in street clothes instead of his No. 50. The Pittsburgh native is out indefinitely with an injury to his right (shooting) hand.

Kane is Marshall’s leading scorer at 16.0 points per game and is second in the country at 8.5 assists per game in his first season at the point.

He had nine points, five rebounds and 11 assists — off the bench — in last Saturday’s 69-63 win over Coppin State.

“We had 26 made baskets with 21 assists,” Marshall Coach Tom Herrion said. “We are being unselfish. We are moving the ball.”

Taking Kane’s spot will be Chris Martin. The sophomore who played at national prep power St. Patrick High in New Jersey is averaging 5.2 points and 1.2 assists per game. He made his first career start against Coppin State and went scoreless in seven minutes.

The Herd has three double-digit scorers in its starting lineup. Junior guard D.D. Scarver leads the way at 14.8 points per game, and is a 41.2-percent shooter from 3-point range.

Forward Elijah Pittman (14.2 ppg) is next, followed by senior forward Dennis Tinnon (11.4 ppg). Tinnon also averages 9.7 rebounds.

Center Nigel Spikes (7.6 ppg) is at 9.2 boards.

The challenge for Marshall now is obvious. The Bearcats present a significant upswing in talent from the first nine opponents of the season.

Cincinnati has used the same starting lineup all season, led by junior guard Sean Kilpatrick. The Yonkers, N.Y., native averages 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

Rounding out the Bearcats’ starting five are point guard Cashmere Wright (15.0 ppg, 3.6 apg), senior guard JaQuon Parker (11.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg), senior center Cheljh Mbodj (5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.7 blocks) and junior forward Justin Jackson (4.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg).

Marshall upset Cincinnati 73-69 in overtime last season in the Queen City.

The game will be aired on CBS Sports Network.

— E-mail: gfauber@register-herald.com

Text Only
College Sports
  • Harrick was greatest 2-sport coach at WVU

    The late Steve Harrick was the longest serving, most successful two-sport head coach in West Virginia University’s athletic history.

    May 18, 2013

  • Concord wastes 2-run lead in 9th, eliminated from regional

    Concord University lost a two-run lead in the ninth inning and was eliminated from the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region baseball playoffs by the Winston-Salem State Rams, 7-5 on Friday afternoon at Gene Hooks Field.

    May 18, 2013

  • Musgrave named Pitcher of the Year Finalist

    May 16, 2013

  • Concord drops NCAA Tournament opener to Millersville 5-4 in Winston-Salem

    May 16, 2013

  • Crutchfield talks about his system, recruiting, focus

    Jim Crutchfield, whose basketball program at West Liberty University is the nation’s best in NCAA Division II, insists that there’s really no secret to his team’s soaring success.
    The Hilltoppers not only lead the collegiate basketball world in scoring with an incredible 103-point average but also are No. 1 in marginal victory at 25-plus.
    “I try to stay as local as I can in recruiting,” the 57-year-old Clarksburg native said. Most of his players come from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

    May 16, 2013

  • 051613 wvu marshall ‘It’s been great for the state’

    West Virginia and Marshall are going to continue to meet on the baseball diamond. After a nearly 15-year break in the series, all involved agreed that rekindling the rivalry between the state’s two biggest schools — a series that culminated with a 6-5 Marshall victory Tuesday at Linda K. Epling Stadium — was a solid idea.

    May 15, 2013 1 Photo

  • WVU closes season against OSU

    The West Virginia University baseball team will close out the regular season this weekend against Big 12 foe Oklahoma State at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., and there will be a great deal on the line.

    May 15, 2013

  • Brett Morris will walk on at WVU

    The West Virginia University basketball team will be filled with southern West Virginia flavor next season after Brett Morris announced this week that he’ll be joining head coach Bob Huggins’ program as a preferred walk-on. Morris, the Class AA all-state captain, will join Shady Spring’s Chase Connor, who will also be walking on for the Mountaineers, and Greenbrier East’s Richard Romeo, who is already a walk-on in the program.

    May 15, 2013

  • Jim Crutchfield ‘miracle man’ at West Liberty

    May 15, 2013

  • No doubt about it, WVU-MU series should continue

    West Virginia and Marshall need to play baseball every year. Period.

    May 15, 2013