By CODY LINN
Marshall Sports Information
HUNTINGTON – The Marshall University Men’s Basketball team (10-11, 5-3 Sun Belt) began its four-game homestand with a 77-68 win over the Georgia State Panthers (9-10, 4-4 Sun Belt) Wednesday night in the Cam Henderson Center.
“We needed that one,” Herd men’s basketball head coach Dan D’Antoni said. "This conference is tough. They’re (Georgia State) physical. I like the way we played. At halftime, we weren’t making shots. I told them we’re doing all the right things, but you have to make shots.” MU went on to make 52.9 percent (18-for-34) of its shots in the final 20 minutes of play.
After trailing for the majority of the first 27 minutes of the contest, including trailing 30-29 at halftime, The Herd kicked it into gear. In the final 12:32 of play, MU outscored Georgia State 28-16. A 9-0 run started at 5:44 with a layup by Obinna Anochili-Killen and ended by a Nate Martin layup at the 4:09 mark gave Marshall its largest lead of the contest at 13 points, 73-60, and iced the game.
Anochili-Killen finished with a game-high 22 points, 16 in the second half, on a 9-for-16 night from the field for his seventh contest of 20 or more points this season. Martin tallied 14 of his 15 points in the second half and grabbed 13 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. The junior made six of his 10 field goal attempts in the victory.
“We had done that before, but not as often as we did tonight,” Martin said about the ball going through him at the top of the key in the contest. “It’s easy up there when everyone is moving with pace off the ball. I’ve got guys who can score, and it makes it easy.”
Kamdyn Curfman rounded out a trio of double-figure scoring efforts for The Herd as he tallied 13 points.
Marshall’s defense stepped up as it held Panthers leading scorer Lucas Taylor to just eight points. Taylor came into the game averaging 14.8 points per game and the contest marked just his fourth this season with fewer than 10 points.
Game Notes
The Herd dominated the glass 42-35, including 13-5 on offensive boards. MU turned those offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.
Anochili-Killen has registered 20 or more points in five of his last season games.
Martin’s 13 rebounds tied his career-high that he set on Bluefield College on December 18 and marked his first double-double in his last five contests.
In 19:50 of action, Ryan Nutter had a plus-minus of positive 19 while scoring six points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Wyatt Fricks was plus-16 in just over 21 minutes on the court while scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds.
UP NEXT
Marshall closes out the week at home against Southern Miss at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Marshall 77, Georgia State 68
GEORGIA ST. (9-10)
Nkereuwem 1-3 0-0 2, Turner 3-6 2-2 8, Lane 5-12 2-2 15, Odom 8-14 4-4 21, Taylor 3-10 0-0 8, Nnamoko 1-2 1-2 3, Tucker 4-6 3-4 11, Mackey 0-2 0-0 0, Mann 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 12-14 68.
MARSHALL (10-11)
Anochili-Killen 9-16 3-5 22, Martin 6-10 3-6 15, Curfman 3-11 4-4 13, Voyles 4-11 0-0 9, Conner 1-5 1-2 4, Fricks 2-8 3-4 8, Nutter 1-2 4-4 6, Sarenac 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-65 18-25 77.
Halftime–Georgia St. 30-29. 3-Point Goals–Georgia St. 6-20 (Lane 3-8, Taylor 2-6, Odom 1-1, Mann 0-1, Mackey 0-2, Turner 0-2), Marshall 7-28 (Curfman 3-10, Conner 1-3, Voyles 1-3, Fricks 1-4, Anochili-Killen 1-5, Nutter 0-1, Sarenac 0-2). Rebounds–Georgia St. 34 (Turner 11), Marshall 38 (Martin 13). Assists–Georgia St. 8 (Odom 5), Marshall 16 (Conner 4). Total Fouls–Georgia St. 18, Marshall 13. A–4,045 (9,048).
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