(Game highlights courtesy of ESPN-TBT)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jacorey Williams scored a team-high 22 points as the Marshall Alumni team Herd That defeated the Peoria All-Stars 80-65 in the opening round of The Basketball Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.
Williams made 9-of-11 shots from the floor and also pulled down 9 rebounds as Herd That moved on in the single-elimination tournament.
“They way these guys play, the way they taught us how to play the last month, it is some of the funnest basketball I ever played,” Williams said.
“With this style of play, everybody eats. So if you run the floor, fill the lanes, they will find you. Everybody shoots 3’s and you have to respect the 3-ball. They are pretty much wide open. So you can have a lot of fun playing this style.”
Herd That shot nearly fifty percent from the field and they outrebounded Peoria 44-34. The Peoria All-Stars were added to the tournament draw Friday after Herd That’s original opponent, Playing for Jimmy V had to withdraw after a positive COVID-19 test from one of their players.
Williams played his college basketball at Middle Tennessee State and has quickly adapted to the Marshall uptempo offense.
“You can’t guard this style of play,” Williams said. “We have no plays. So how are you going to scout it? You just have to come out there and play and hopefully you can guard one through five and switch everything.”
Zach Smith added ten points for Herd That, connecting on all five of his shot attempts from the floor. Jon and Ot Elmore each scored nine points. Jon added ten assists and eight rebounds.
“The talent disparity is not as great as people want to make it out to be,” Ot Elmore said. “I’ll ride with my guys any day of the week.”
Herd That will have three days off before their second-round matchup against No. 7 seed The Money Team Thursday at 2 p.m. The Money Team, which featured former WVU forward Devin Williams, received a bye in the opening round.
“Some of the guys are probably going to drink a couple cold ones, kick back and watch some of the rest of the games,” said Jon Elmore. “We are planning our Vegas trip and some of the details if we can end up winning this thing. We are fired up.”
“We didn’t play our best game today,” said Ot Elmore. “But we are looking forward to getting it mixed in time for The Money Team.”