— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall men’s basketball fans can make their plans for 2022-2023 Sun Belt Conference matchups as the Thundering Herd’s new league home has released the conference schedule.
Marshall’s first Sun Belt schedule is heavy on home games early, with five of the Herd’s first six league contests being played at the Cam Henderson Center. Marshall ends league play with six of its final eight games on the road.
Sun Belt members will play an 18-game league schedule (9 home games and 9 road games) and contests will be played on Thursdays and Saturdays, the same schedule as Marshall played in its former home, Conference USA. The final week of league play will occur on a Wednesday-Friday rotation.
MU’s first league game will be played December 29 at the Henderson Center against Appalachian State, followed by a New Year’s Eve home matchup with James Madison.
The Herd hits the road for the first time in conference play on January 5 when it travels to Atlanta to face an old rival from its Southern Conference days in Georgia Southern.
Marshall is then home for three straight as Coastal Carolina comes to Huntington on January 7, followed by visits by two of the Herd’s former Conference USA mates — Southern Miss on January 12 and Old Dominion on January 14.
Marshall’s other Sun Belt home games are against Louisiana-Monroe on January 26, defending league champ Georgia State on January 28, Georgia Southern on February 16th and Troy on February 18.
A late season 4-game MU road swing will take Marshall to Appalachian State, Louisiana, Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. The Herd ends the regular season with Sun Belt games at James Madison and Old Dominion.
The 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament will be played February 28-March 6 at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida. Georgia State won the 2022 Tournament, defeating Louisiana in the championship game. The Panthers will be a strong candidate to repeat as champions as eight players from last year’s team return for first-year head coach Jonas Hayes.
Marshall hopes to be among the favorites for the Sun Belt title despite struggling last season. The Herd returns top scorer Taevion Kinsey, a guard who averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season. Marshall’s other top scorers from last season are back: guard Andrew Taylor and forward Obinna Anochili-Killen. Head coach Dan D’Antoni also expects steady contributions from guard Kamdyn Curfman, a VMI transfer, who was one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters last season.
The 2022-23 Marshall/Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 — Appalachian State
Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022 — James Madison
Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 — at Georgia Southern
Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 — Coastal Carolina
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 — Southern Miss
Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 — Old Dominion
Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 — at Texas State
Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 — at Arkansas State
Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023 — Louisiana Monroe
Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023 — Georgia State
Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023 — at Appalachian State
Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023 — at Louisiana
Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 — at Coastal Carolina
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 — at Georgia State
Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023 — Georgia Southern
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 — Troy
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 — at James Madison
Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 — at Old Dominion
BOLD = home game