Marshall GameNotes

Junior post player Mark Patton scored 11 points in the Herd's last time out against Buffalo. Photo by Matt Riley

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall's third-most played rival visits the Cam Henderson Center for a Saturday evening tilt on the Thundering Herd/ISP Television Network. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., and can be seen live locally in Huntington on WSAZ-TV.

The Herd and Bobcats will meet for the 90th time on the hardwood in Saturday night's game. Marshall has faced the University of Charleston (formerly Morris Harvey) a record 108 times, and nearby Morehead State 92 times.

Saturday’s meeting marks the final regular season matchup as members of the Mid-American Conference; Marshall heads to Conference USA in 2005. Ohio leads the all-time series which dates back to 1930-31, 47-42, and won the earlier meeting earlier this season in Athens on January 9th, 77-68. Since the Herd re-entered the MAC in 1997-98, Marshall has posted a 6-8 record, and a 4-2 mark in the Henderson Center against the Bobcats.

Ohio enters Saturday’s contest with a 15-9 overall record, 9-6 in the Mid-American Conference and are winners of seven out of their last nine games. Mychal Green leads the Bobcats in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, with Sonny Troutman (12.2), Leon Williams (11.0), and Jeremy Fears (10.2) also averaging double-digit points. Williams leads Ohio in rebounding, averaging 7.8 caroms per contest.

The Bobcats defeated Eastern Michigan Wednesday night, 68-65, in their last time out. Freshman post player Leon Williams paced the Ohio effort, pouring in 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the season. Sonny Troutman and Jeremy Fears also added 14 points apiece in the Bobcats’ winning effort. Ohio led by 15 at the half, 38-23, and withstood a furious second-half charge by the Eagles to hang on to the victory.

Marshall enters the Ohio game with a 5-19 overall record, 2-13 in the Mid-American Conference.

The Herd never led against Buffalo in a 68-55 loss to the Bulls Wednesday night at the Henderson Center in Marshall's last time out. Buffalo’s smallest leads were three and five in both halves, respectively, but the Bulls responded to each Herd run with a spurt of their own to keep Marshall at bay. Senior guard A.W. Hamilton (Georgetown, Ky.) led the Herd with 12 points, with Mark Patton (Barboursville, W.Va.) and Tre Whitted (Wilmington, N.C.) each contributing 11 points for the Herd. Senior forward David Anderson (Levittown, P.R.) led Marshall in rebounding with seven.

Mark Patton and Hamilton lead the Herd in scoring, averaging 10.8 points per game.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The game can also be heard live on the Sirius Satellite Radio Network (channel 123).