By Bill Cornwell
The Marshall Men’s Basketball team (5-1) wraps up non-conference play tonight as the Herd hosts the Bulldogs of UNC-Asheville from the Big South Conference.
The game tips off at 6pm and will be telecast by CUSA.TV.
The Herd is coming off a Sunday 85-71 win over Robert Morris, while Asheville (3-3, 2-0), lost at Chattanooga on Saturday by a 69-66 score.
After tonight, Marshall’s next game is on New Year’s Day, the Conference USA opener at Louisiana Tech.
Marshall and Asheville have met 4 times in the past and Marshall has won 3 of those matchups. The teams last played in the 1999-2000 season, a game won by Marshall 102-66.
The Bulldogs are coached by Mike Morrell, who is in his 3rd season and has a 22-45 record during his time in Western North Carolina. Dan D’Antoni is in his 7th at Marshall with a 118-93 overall record.
Tonight’s game will be a guard showcase, as Marshall junior Taevion Kinsey faces off against the Bulldogs’ Tajion Jones. Kinsey is on fire, averaging 21.8 points per game over the last five games, while Jones has scored 23% of Asheville’s points and averaged 19 points per game over the last five contests.
Asheville is a senior-laden team. Jones, LJ Thorpe, Trent Stepheny and Evan Clayborne are responsible for 65% of the Bulldogs scoring this year.
Herd senior forward Jannson Williams has been on fire in recent games, scoring 24 points in the Robert Morris game, tying his career-high. He also leads Marshall in blocks with 16, including eight in the last two games.
Besides Kinsey, senior guard Jarrod West continues to drive the Herd, accounting for 43% of Marshall’s points in recent games.
Notes–The Bulldogs have a player with West Virginia ties, as junior forward Coty Jude hails from Fort Gay, WV and played for three seasons at Tolsia High School….former Marshall assistant coach Woody Taylor is now an assistant at UNC-Asheville.