— By Bill Cornwell
Unable to sustain success after its win over UAB last weekend, Marshall was handled by Old Dominion, 79-64, in a road loss Thursday that marked the Thundering Herd’s 11th setback in its last 12 games.
A 19-0 run by the Monarchs within the first 10 minutes set the tone for the evening and led to Marshall falling to 8-14 overall and 1-8 in Conference USA play.
The challenge gets no easier at 4 p.m. Saturday when the Herd visits Charlotte (11-9, 4-4) for a contest that will be shown on Stadium.
Marshall head coach Dan D’Antoni, who was critical of his team’s showing against ODU, is looking for more energy from the Herd when it takes the floor against the 49ers.
“I told them that they’ve got to put in the effort,” D’Antoni said. “We also have to make better decisions.”
Marshall did have four double-figure scorers at ODU, led by freshman forward Obinna Anochili-Killen’s 15 points.
While that contest was going on, the 49ers fell at home to Western Kentucky 78-59.
Ron Sanchez is in his fourth year as the 49ers’ head coach and has a record of 44-59.
Junior guard Jahmir Young leads Charlotte in scoring at 18.7 points per game. The 49ers’ only other double-figure scorer is senior guard Austin Butler at 12 points.
Butler leads Charlotte in rebounding at 6.1 per game. Senior guard Clyde Trapp is among leaders in both scoring and rebounding (9.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg).
Charlotte shoots 45.6 percent from the field, 35 percent from behind the 3-point line and 76.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Marshall is shooting 43.6 percent from the field and continues to struggle behind the 3-point arc at 27.7 percent. The Herd is shooting 71.3 percent from the free-throw line.
After missing the victory over the Blazers, Marshall’s leading scorer, junior guard Taevion Kinsey, returned to the lineup at Old Dominion and scored 11 — nine below his average. Obinna Anochili-Killen (13 ppg) and junior guard Andrew Taylor (12.8 ppg) are also double-figure scorers.
Anochili-Killen, who led Marshall with 15 points against ODU, averages a team-high 6.7 rebounds.
Despite a discouraging performance at Old Dominion, D’Antoni is optimistic better performances are ahead.
“I still believe in this team and we’re just as good as anyone when we play,” D’Antoni said. “We’ve just got to be a lot more consistent in our effort and decision-making.”
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SEARCH UPDATE: Friday’s edition of The Herald-Dispatch, along with an earlier story published by Herdnation.com, reports there are four finalists to be Marshall’s next Athletic Director.
Those candidates are: Interim Marshall Athletic Director Jeff O’Malley, Pitt Deputy Athletic Director and Chief of Staff Christian Spears, Syracuse Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Goodrich and Chris Park, Washington State’s Deputy Director of Athletics for External Relations.
In-person interviews for the job are expected to take place next week.