HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – With a pair of ACC opponents looming to close out the non-conference schedule, Marshall (7-4) got a much needed tune up Monday night with an 81-65 win over West Virginia Wesleyan.
Marshall never trailed in the contest, clearly out-manning the Division II Bobcats but ask Herd coach Dan D’Antoni said neither team came away from the game with what it wanted.
“We couldn’t beat them bad enough,” said Herd coach Dan D’Antoni. “If it’s close, they win. We kind of straddled the line there — they can’t really consider it a win and we can’t say we crushed them.”
D’Antoni played 12 players in the game as Stevie Browning led the way with 21 points in 23 minutes of work.
Monday marked the season debut for C.J. Burks, who played in his first game since March. The Martinsburg-native played 25 minutes with 11 points and five assists in his first action of the season.
“I didn’t want to mess up. I was just trying to my best to help out the guys wherever they need me at,” said Burks.
Burks has been able to practice with the team throughout the fall, so it was not as though his entrance into the lineup was a shock to the offense.
“It means a lot, I sat out a lot. I practice with them every day, and I was mad at myself, because it was my fault why I wasn’t out there and I felt like I let the team down. But it feels good to be back out there with guys.”
The Herd offense did catch a bit of a spark when Burks entered the game. Burks seven points almost immediately helping Marshall extend its early lead to 21-4.
“It’s a blessing. C.J. is an extremely talented kid, and you all see that. To get him back is a relief, and it helps everybody out. From guards to even bigs, because at times he can play as a big. It helps everybody out.”
Ryan Taylor missed his second straight game with a sore calf, but D’Antoni is confident Taylor will be back for Thursday’s game at No. 23 Cincinnati. The road doesn’t get any easier, finishing up the non-conference schedule at Pittsburgh on Dec. 29.
“This is a huge next couple of games. Cincinnati is ranked in the top-25 and Pittsburgh is just as good as they are,” said Browning. “We lost at Ohio State, but I think we are a lot better team than we were then. Hopefully we can get Ryan [Taylor] and Terrence [Thompson] back by then, and I think at full strength I would think that we can surprise them. It wouldn’t be a surprise to us, but to the rest of the country it would. I think we’re capable of it.”
The Herd tips off with the Bearcats Thursday night at 7. Cincinnati leads the series 12-20.