COLUMN
The dejection and frustration was easy to detect in Tom Herrion’s voice as he fielded questions during his postgame interview following Marshall’s third consecutive loss. The Herd struggled to muster any offense against SMU Wednesday night in a 68-57 loss to SMU and to compound the problem decided it didn’t want to play defense either.
“We didn’t play hard enough or compete at a level to get the job done,” Herrion simply said. “No glass till the second half and we leave too many points on the foul line, it’s a little bit of a broken record for us.”
A broken record indeed.
The same mistakes, sloppy ball handling, and atrocious free-throw shooting have plagued The Herd throughout the season. Marshall ranks dead last in the country making just 56 percent from the foul line. In case you’re wondering, The Herd has left 234 points at the free-throw line this season. In the latest loss, Marshall lost by 11 points and went just 10-of-23 from the foul line.
Nine times this season Marshall has shot less than 40 percent from the field, including making a season low 18 field goals in an 82-54 loss to Kentucky. The Herd has cracked 20 turnovers four times and handed the ball to Southern Miss 31 times.
However, more frustrating than the mistakes has been the lackadaisical attitude this team has displayed on more than one occasion. Night in and night out fans wonder which team will show up on the floor? Will it be the world beaters that thumped on East Carolina and should have been Memphis or will it be a team that would rather be anywhere but on the basketball court?
No one knows and I doubt the coaches have a clue which team will take the floor on any given night.
“We struggle to defend and rebound consistently every night,” lamented Herrion. “We seem to have lost our identity. Home, away, neutral, shouldn’t matter and that is what discourages me.”
Now, having watched this team underperform throughout the season, even the most diehard Herd supporters are looking for answers for this season that held so much promise back in November.
Is it the coaching? Is the team not prepared or are the coaches trying to fit players into a system that doesn’t fit the style of player?
Are the players not taking instruction and making it up as they go? Have they given up on the season?
There are many more questions than answers as to why this season continues to spiral to the bottom of Conference USA and eventually someone must answer them.