— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A player who opposed Marshall on the basketball floor last season will suit up for the Thundering Herd next season.
Nate Martin, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, announced on social media his commitment to Marshall after deciding to transfer from fellow Sun Belt Conference member Texas State.
A Cypress, Texas native who played in 30 of the Bobcats’ 32 games during the 2022-23 season, Martin started 27 contests. He averaged eight points along with 4.8 rebounds. He was second on the team in blocks with 25.
Martin was effective in two games against Marshall. He scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Herd’s 81-73 regular-season win over the Bobcats. When the two teams met in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Pensacola, Florida, Martin scored 10 points to help Texas State top Marshall, 71-68, in what proved to be the Herd’s final game of the season.
Martin has also been named to the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List for academic excellence.
Martin, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, is the second recent addition by way of the transfer portal for the Thundering Herd after former Indiana State guard Cam Crawford announced last week that he was headed to MU.
Earlier this offseason, the Herd lost standout center Micah Handlogten to the portal after the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year moved on to Florida.