— By David Walsh
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Taevion Kinsey charged down the lane and threw down a thunder dunk just before the halftime horn to give Marshall the lead at 45-44, over Toledo.
With 32 seconds left, Andrew Taylor lined up a 3-point shot from the right corner and drained it to put 100 on the scoreboard for the home team in the first game at the new-look Cam Henderson Center. In between, the Herd executed enough plays to knock off the Rockets, 100-85, in front of 4,065 fans.
The Herd received another double-double from 7-foot-1 freshman Micah Handlogten. Kamdyn Curfmann’s early burst of threes got Marshall started on the right foot. A 20-of-24 effort from the foul line proved huge. The Rockets didn’t help their cause with two technical fouls.
And a key 13-0 run late in the second half turned saw the Herd go from a 70-68 lead to 83-68 edge the Rockets could not overcome. The outcome marks a season-high point total for the Herd and most points allowed in a game by Toledo this season.
“We knew they’re a good team,” Kinsey said. “We didn’t want to trade (baskets) with them. Somebody’s got to stop somebody. Turn it off. We did.”
“They’re a good ball club,” Herd coach Dan D’Antoni said. “They’ve been beating everybody. They won the MAC (Mid-American Conference Tournamnent) last season. They had five excellent 3-point shooters and we have two 7-footers to defend the three. Goran (Miladinovic) gave us good minutes (when he subbed for Handlogten to help in matchups). We shut down their threes for six or seven minutes, got a little lead and finished it off.”
Kinsey, the top scorer in the Sun Belt Conference, paced the Herd with 30 points (12-of-19 field, 6-of-7 free throws). Taylor followed with 27 and team-high six assists. Curfman closed with four threes on the way to 16 points. And Handlogten, on his 19th birthday, totaled 12 pounds and 13 rebounds for another double-double.
Kinsey’s dunk right before the half was one of the many Herd highlights. On a second miss, a three-point try by Curfman, the ball came off the rim and Kinsey zoomed in to make the play.
“It means they’ve got to jump higher,” Kinsey said with a smile. “We set up a play. We had two good shots, the ball comes off, nobody boxed me out and I just threw it down.
“It’s about being in the right spot. I challenge myself to be all over the place. Tonight I did that.”
D’Antoni’s seen Kinsey make highlight reel plays like the halftime slam many times.
“He’s going to make plays like that,” D’Antoni said. “He’s the most improved player this year. He stays calm on his shots, knows where to go to get space and has poise and patience.”
Taylor felt good about sinking the 100-point three and the way his team rebounded from Tuesday’s loss at UNC Greensboro to end a nine-game winning streak.
“It was our turn,” Taylor said. “ We were coming off an L (loss) and bounced back strong. TK (Kinsey) started us and we kept going.
“It felt nice (to get the shot for 100). I didn’t notice the clock. We talk about it in practice. That’s my corner. That’s like my first shot when we come out.”
“He’s a shooter, he’s a scorer,’ D’Antoni said. “Told him, ‘you shoot it. Just a little more patience.’ “
RayJ Dennis and J.T. Shumate each had 21 points to lead Toledo. Ra’Heim Moss added 13 before getting ejected with the two technicals.
Handlogten’s presence in the middle did frustrate Toledo shooters.
“Micah’s got the heighth and shows a lot of upside,” Kinsey said.
“It’s tough to finish over Micah,” D’Antoni said. “He has an effect on them. Don’t predetermine anything on a shot block. We’ve got the length. He’ll get a lot better. It was nice to hear fans boo, too.”
Sinking 20-of-24 free throws didn’t go unnoticed.
“Don’t understand,” D’Antoni said. “We shoot them in practice. It’s like we forget what we do.”
As for the new-look home surroundings, D’Antoni said: “I feel better about this, 100 percent. You look like a winner.”
Two banners are stretched across the top of the center known as Herd Heaven. That drops capacity down to 5,467. There’s a new floor with all the trim. There’s one solid three-point line since the distance (22 feet, 1.75 inches) is the same for men and women. Fans can purchase alcohol on the premises.
There’s the “Be Like Bruce” contest referring to the record-setting shot made by former Herd player Bruce Morris. The “The Shot Herd Round The World” covered 89 feet, 10-inches and came just before the half on Feb. 7, 1985 in a game against Appalachian State. A fan gets to attempt that shot and win a new car if he/she makes it. Moses Auto Group sponsors the contest. The future of the shoe impression on the court that marks the spot has not been decided.
Marshall’s next game is Monday at home against Glenville State. Tip is 7 p.m. Then there’s a break before the Herd starts Sun Belt play Dec. 29 at home against Appalachian State.
Toledo (7-4) entered the game ranked No. 10 this week in the CollegeInsiders.com poll for mid-majors and Marshall checked in at No. 14. Toledo leads the all-time series 38-24 and saw its five-game win streak halted.