— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall fans get their first chance to watch the Thundering Herd in action this weekend as the University of Pikeville (Ky.) Bears provides the opposition Sunday in an exhibition contest.
The game will tip off at 3 p.m.
Marshall’s women, under new head coach Kim Caldwell, will also face the Pikeville women’s team at 6:30 at the Henderson Center in an exhibition contesh.
Marshall men’s head coach Dan D’Antoni would like to think his squad, which has plenty of new faces, has made strides in three weeks of preseason workouts.
“So far, our team is shooting better than most at this point in preseason, around 45 to 50 percent on three-pointers,” D’Antoni said. “We’re bigger and we play at a faster pace. We’ll see what that turns into when we get into competition.”
D’Antoni was non-committal earlier this week about who he’d start against Pikeville, but based on history and his earlier comments, guards Kamdyn Curfman and Maryland-Eastern Shore transfer Kevon Voyles figure to be in the mix. So, too, would Indiana State transfer and swingman Cam Crawford, along with a frontcourt of Obinna Anochili-Killen and Texas State transfer Nate Martin.
“As to who plays, we’ll feel our way,” D’Antoni said. “We’re deep, but it’s a new team and we’re trying to find our identity and how we mesh together.”
The coach says regardless of who starts, the Herd’s current depth is encouraging.
“We can go about nine deep right now,” D’Antoni said. “Depth helps you in case of an injury. We need to stay injury-free when it comes to our two or three key players.
“These guys are making each other better, getting in the gym and working hard.”
Pikeville is picked to finish second this season in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. This is the Bears’ first season in AAC, which is an NAIA conference.
Pikeville was 20-13 last season and 13-9 in Mid-South Conference play.
Tigh Compton is the Bears’ head coach. Former Marshall guard Jeremy Dillon, a previous standout athlete at Mingo Central High School, is a senior on the Pikeville roster.
Marshall has another exhibition game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Henderson Center against Lees-McRae College from Banner Elk, North Carolina.