— By David Walsh
Marshall’s shooting woes continued while Coastal Carolina, one of the worst-shooting teams in the Sun Belt Conference, had one of its brightest days of a trying season.
The Chanticleers, last in the Sun Belt Conference in thre-point shooting at 32 percent, connected of 12 of 22 for 55 percent. That included an 8 of 12 effort in the second half. And they sit at the bottom of the league at the foul line in the league (64 percent), yet they made 14 of 17 for 82 percent.
Combine that with Marshall’s 33 percent performance (24-of-72), including making just one of its final 10 shots when the Thundering Herd had closed a 13-point deficit to two and had chances to take the lead. That allowed Coastal Carolina (8-17, 5-9 Sun Belt) to escape with the win, 74-67, Saturday afternoon in front of 1,982 fans at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C.
“We can’t keep shooting the way we’re shooting,” Herd coach Dan D’Antoni said on the radio post-game show. “We can’t win games like that.”
Jacob Meyer nailed a three with 8:23 left to give the home team a 63-50 lead.
Back stormed the Herd behind the play of Cam Crawford off the bench and Keyvon Voyles. Voyles scored off a turnover with 5:39 to play to cut the deficit to four (63-59). That was part of a 9-point run. Voyles scored on a layup off a turnover with 4:16 to go and get Marshall within one (65-64) and prompt a timeout by the Chanticleers.
Marshall got a couple of stops and then looks to score to take the lead, but could not hit. The home team’s Kylan Blackmon responded with a three with 2:03 to go for a 68-64 lead. The Herd would miss twice again before Wyatt Fricks connected to get the deficit back to two (68-66) with 1:00 left.
Meyer again would drain a clutch three with 38 seconds to go for a 71-66 lead. After another Herd miss, Meyer got fouled and made two free throws for a 73-66 lead. Each team would get one free throw each to set the final score.
“We tried to get a good shot,” D’Antoni would say in a post-game visit with the media about the chance to take the lead. “We had two pretty good looks. It comes down to they hit theirs and we didn’t.”
John Ojiako, 6-foot-10, and Braeden MacVicar, 6-11, each had double-doubles for the Chanticleers. Ojaiako had 16 points and 12 rebounds for his league-leading 14th double-double. MacVicar closed with 12 points and 10 boards.
On the flip side, the Herd big men endured rough sledding. Obinna Anochili-Killen had two points (1-of-6 shooting) and three rebounds. Nate Martin totaled four points (1-of-7 shooting) and seven rebounds.
“That’s their strength. That’s what they go to,” D’Antoni said of the home side working the down low. “We had 20 more shots. No way should you lose. Got to put more in, got to start knocking them down.”
Meyer led Coastal Carolina with 21 points (7-of-12 from the floor including 5-of-6 threes). Blackmon added 14.
Voyles led the Herd (12-15, 7-7 SBC) with 15 points. Fricks followed with 14 and Kamdyn Curfman 13. Fricks hit 4-of-7 from behind the arc and led in rebounds with eight.
“He’s playing really well,” D’Antoni said of Fricks. “He’s a capable shooter. Got to figure out how to use him.”
D’Antoni would love for someone to show him how to get Anochili-Killen back on track. He is the team’s leading scorer. He went 1 of 14 from the field in Thursday’s loss at Appalachian State.
“Got to get Obinna playing,” D’Antoni said. “I don’t know where his offensive game went. He seems to be getting pushed around. Players go through that.”
This is the first win for the Chanticleers over the Herd in two seasons (1-3 overall).
“I get teams like to beat us,” D’Antoni said. “We have to get where they’re not going to do it.”
Crawford, who’s been used sparingly lately, totaled nine points.
“He gives you all you want to see,” D’Antoni said. “He’s a good player, always has been. He needs that discipline to play our system.”
Marshall plays its final two games at Cam Henderson Center this week. James Madison visits Wednesday at 7 p.m. Appalachian State comes in Saturday for Senior Night. That tip has been pushed back to 6 p.m. for national broadcast on either ESPN2 or ESPNU.
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On the women’s side, Old Dominion seemed to have learned little from its 30-point loss to Marshall in the first meeting. Tied at the half in that one, the Herd broke the game open in the fourth period to prevail, 90-60.
In the rematch Saturday, the Monarchs trailed by two at the half, then Marshall bolted to a 32-12 scoring edge in the third period on the way to the win, 89-75.
The Herd is 19-6, 13-1 and atop the Sun Belt. Old Dominion falls to 18-7 and 9-5 in league play.
Marshall relied on its trademarks to get the win. Twelve threes, force 24 turnovers for 33 points and 28-9 edge in bench points. Meredith Maier led with 16 points (four threes), Abby Beeman had 15, Aislynn Hayes 15 before she fouled out, Breanna Campbell with 13 and CC Mays 11.
En’Dya Buford and Brenda Fontana had 16 each for the Monarchs. Kaye Clark netted 10.
Saturday was the annual Play4Kay, named for former NC State coach Kayt Yow, who died of breast cancer 2009.
The Herd and Old Dominion wore pink. Cancer survivors, male and female, were recognized.
Marshall has two more road games next week. It’s Wednesday at Texas State at 8 p.m. and Saturday at UL-Monroe at 1 p.m.