— By David Walsh
Northern Iowa built a 19-point lead with 13:05 left, before Marshall made many runs, but the Panthers had enough to hold on each time and defeat the Thundering Herd, 88-80, at the McLeod Center.
The Panthers (11-1) improved to 7-0 at home on the year.
A.J. Green led the Missouri Valley Conference school with 24 points and Trae Berhow added a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Spencer Haldeman added 13 points and Isaiah Brown 12. Green, a 6-foot-4 guard, was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List. The award is presented annually to the nation’s Top Division I mid-major player.
Northern Iowa converted 27 of a season-high 33 free throws, including six off technical fouls, all made by Green.
Marshall head coach Dan D’Antoni got two technicals and was ejected. A Herd assistant got the first.
Andrew Taylor, who became eligible second semester for Marshall, made his third start and led his team with a career-high 27 points. He connected on 10-of-18 shots, including three 3-pointers.
Fellow guard Jarrod West followed with 17 points, also connecting on three from behind the arc. Taevion Kinsey added 15 and Iran Bennett, coming off a 21-point effort in the home win last week against Eastern Kentucky, hit for 11. He and Taylor tied for the team rebound lead with five each.
Jannson Williams, who did start, and Mikey Beyers each finished scoreless for the Herd. Williams played 15 minutes.
Northern Iowa matched its best non-conference run in program history at 11-1. The 2014-15 squad had that record on the way to 31 total wins.
The Panthers received votes in last week’s Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. Their only loss came against West Virginia (60-55) in the Cancun Classic on Nov. 26.
The Panthers came in averaging 10 three-pointers a game, tops in the MVC, and finished with nine. Berhow went 4-of-4.
Northern Iowa, ahead by just one point seconds into the second half, opened a 64-45 lead with 13:05 left on a free throw by Berhow.
Marshall, which had a three-game win streak halted, got within seven at 71-64 on two free throws by Taylor with 6:33 to play. However, the home team maintained the upper hand.
Marshall did press to the end and a layup by Darius George with 46 seconds left trimmed the Northern Iowa lead to 84-78, but that’s as close as the Herd would get.
The Herd (5-7) now gets a short Christmas break. Marshall’s next game is next Sunday against Duquesne at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. Tip is 2:30 p.m.
Duquesne is 10-1 after a loss Sunday against C-USA member UAB in the St. Pete Shootout in St. Petersburg, Florida.