— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Another chance to improve.
That’s how Marshall men’s basketball coach Cornelius Jackson is viewing Wednesday when the Thundering Herd take on NAIA-level Pikeville in its final exhibition game.
The matchup at Cam Henderson Center tips at 7 p.m.
The Bears, ranked No. 21 in the national NAIA Coaches Poll, are the favorite to repeat as Appalachian Athletic Conference champions after finishing 27-5 overall record last season, including 18-1 in the AAC.
As for Marshall, Jackson hopes to get the entire Herd roster experience against the Bears, much as the case was last Thursday when the Herd handled West Virginia Wesleyan, 101-54.
“When you get minutes, maximize them,” Jackson said. “Our thing this year is strength in numbers and I feel like we have a lot of guys that can play. As long as they keep coming in, doing the right things and playing the right way, I want them to play maxed out. That’s why we have a big group that can all contribute.”
Newcomer Emmanuel Manyoun was Marshall’s leading scorer against the Bobcats with 19 points, buoyed by his five three-pointers.
Center Khaman Maker snatched seven rebounds to go with four blocks and six points. Thirteen Marshall players scored in the contest.
Manyoun and Maker were part of Jackson’s starting lineup against the Bobcats, along with fellow newcomer Colt Langdon and returnees Noah Otshudi and Bryce Slay.
Among key bench performers for Marshall is newcomer Fazi Oshodi, who scored 13 points and displayed quickness with penetration.
Pikeville’s featured player is its lone returning starter, former Chapmanville High School standout Zion Blevins.
Blevins was the AAC Defender and Freshman of the Year last season after averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds to go with 46 blocks and 20 steals.
Junior guard Jaylan Rigdon is another returner for the Bears and he averaged 6.8 points last season while dishing out 81 assists against 37 turnovers. Rigdon was also a proficient free-throw shooter a season ago when he converted 88 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe.
Marshall opens the regular season at home Monday against Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Challenge. Tip time is 7 p.m.