Cornelius Jackson ready for the regular season after showcasing the Marshall mens basketball squad against Pikeville.

 by Ben Anderson

    Cornelius Jackson, Marshall’s head basketball coach, said that the exhibition vs. Pikeville was a great opportunity to evaluate what the team has to offer this season. 

    “I liked their energy, their intensity, saw some things that we need to clean up,” Jackson said recently in a weekly news conference. “We missed too many layups around the rim, free throws we went 13-18, so we got to clean that up.” “Defensively, I would (like) to see us (get) more physical once a guy steps on us.”

    Jackson, who in his first season as head coach after serving last season as the Associate Head Coach, took over the Marshall men’s basketball program following the departure of Dan D’Antoni.

    One of coach Jackson’s core values for his team is physicality 

    “Each team is different,” Jackson said. “This team the physicality and grit overpowers.” “We want our offense to start with the defense.” 

    Jackson said that he was impressed with the team’s physicality in the win against Pikeville. 

    Last night we had seven times that were first to the floor,” Jackson said. “That little inkling is telling that these guys are catching on and buying in.” “We want to set the tone that whenever there’s an opportunity to be on the floor we don’t just watch we want to dive on it and claim the ball.”

    The Thundering Herd entered this season with six returning players and ten newcomers. Jackson said that the exhibition gave a great opportunity for the team to get acclimated to the style of play.

    “We have a lot of new guys so as much time as they can get on the floor and get acclimated.” Coach Jackson said. “You got Obinna (Anochilli-Killen) this is his fifth year, Kade (Gibbs) has played college, but this is his first experience here, so he needed that time on the floor last night and I think he did a heck of a job.”

    Marshall defeated UPIKE 90-73 in the fans first exhibition game. 

    Marshall added some players from the transfer portal including brother Cade and Jakob Gibbs from Grace College.

    “The brothers have been awesome,” Jackson said. “Character guys, they come in (and) they do whatever you ask them to do, and they put it on the line day in and day out.”

    The Thundering Herd also acquired former Huntington Prep standout and Akron transfer Mikal Dawson. Jackson said that Dawson has really stood out during the preseason.

    Mike Dawson, he’s a winner, he won at a high level in Akron,” Jackson said. “I’ve been impressed with his maturity, his work ethic in unbelievable, his maturity the way he approaches things day in, and day out has really stood out to me since he has been here in this short time.”

    Jackson said that the main key going into the action of the schedule is maintaining the focus from up to this point.

    “A lot of these guys have been around for a while in college basketball at all different levels, we have a couple of freshmen,” Jackson said. “We’ve been coming in day in and day out working our tails off and doing what the coaches have asked and now our main thing it to keep the same focus going into game week.”

    Marshall men’s basketball will end a three-game home stretch Saturday as it will entertain the Bellarmine Knights. The game will be broadcast on WMUL-FM 88.1 with pregame coverage at 6:30 and tipoff at 7 p.m.