— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall and Radford meet at a unique college basketball venue Friday night.
Colonial Hall at The Greenbrier Resort is the sight of a 7 p.m. non-conference matchup that can be seen on ESPN+.
Both teams began regular season play Monday. Marshall had five double-figure scorers in an 89-73 win over Queens University at the Henderson Center. Transfer Kevon Voyles led Marshall with 18 points, along with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Herd’s defense held Queens to 38.6 percent shooting, including 27 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
Radford gave the 19th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels fits before falling to the Tar Heels 86-70 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The Highlanders stayed within shouting distance of UNC until a 7-0 Tar Heels’ run midway through the second half put the game out of reach. Sophomore guard Kenyon Giles and senior guard DaQuan Smith each scored 18 points for Bradford.
The Herd and Highlanders are resuming a regional rivalry that has been dormant since 2003. Marshall has won eight of nine all-time meetings between the two schools.
Friday’s matchup pits two head coaches with Mountain State ties. Marshall’s 10th-year head coach Dan D’Antoni is a Mullens native and Marshall alumnus. He’ll be facing Highlanders’ third-year head coach Darris Nichols, who enjoyed a decorated playing career at West Virginia guard from 2004-08, playing for coaches John Beilein and Bob Huggins.
Radford was picked to finish second this year in the Big South Conference Preseason Coaches poll. Marshall was picked by Sun Belt Conference coaches to finish seventh.
After Friday’s game, Marshall takes a nine-day break before beginning play in the Cayman Islands Classic on November 19 at 5 p.m. against the Utah State Aggies.