HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Elijah Pittman scored a career-high 31 points as Marshall downed South Carolina State 85-69 in the season opener.
Pittman, the only returning starter from a year ago, previous career-high was a 23-point effort against Tulane last season.
“It’s good to get the first one under our belts,” said coach Tom Herrion.
Marshall started slow and sloppy on both ends of the floor as it tried to get its footing with so many players still trying to figure out their roles on the team.
“I’d say it was first game jitters. It was a real game that goes in the win or loss column. Everybody was finally playing for a real game,” said Ryan Taylor who finished the night with a double-double collecting 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Marshall got out to a 14- 9 lead but saw the advantage evaporate as South Carolina State would go on a 9-0 run in to take an 18-14 lead at the 12:29 mark of the first half. The Herd got the lead back with 8:28 to play in the half on a Pittman three-pointer to go up 23-21. Marshall would not surrender the lead the rest of the way.
The Herd stretched the lead to 14 points by halftime.
“We came out to anxious and were moving too fast,” said Pittman. “Once we slowed down and did what we do in practice we the game came easier.”
Marshall came out hot in the second half pressuring South Carolina State up and down the floor and creating turnovers and opportunities. The Herd built a 32-point cushion in the second half.
“I thought we did an excellent job stretching it and I thought we did a poor job maintaining and were a little sloppy down the stretch,” evaluated Herrion.
Marshall was able to impose its will the rest of the way to cruise to the debut victory.
Herrion acknowledged there is still much for his team to learn and improve on.
“I thought our offense was too quick and too skiddish. We shot too quickly in possessions,” said Herrion.
Marshall shot 63.7 percent from the field but made only 7-of-30 three-point attempts.
“We took too many,” said Herrion about the three’s.
Marshall is back at home on Tuesday to play host to Rio Grande.