Marshall Men’s Basketball tipoffs Cornelius Jackson era with strong offense in 90-57 win

 by Ben Anderson

    The Cornelius Jackson era of Marshall basketball began Monday night when the new head coach’s team defeated the Davis & Elkins Senators 90-57.

    Cornelius Jackson entered the matchup and succeeded long-time head coach Dan D’Antoni after ten seasons. Jackson served last season as the associate head coach and took over the head coaching role after D’Antoni parted ways as head coach.

    Marshall had four players finish in double-digit scoring, including Wyatt Fricks, who ended the night with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double.

    The Herd jumped to a 13-4 lead at around five minutes into the game with Obinna Anochilli-Killen connected on a high-flying dunk, and Fricks hit the first Marshall three of the season.

    Marshall held Davis & Elkins scoreless for the first four minutes of the first half. The Senators would miss its first four shots of the contest. 

    Marshall flexed its defensive strength, displaying a full-court press that forced 10 turnovers in the first half and holding the Senators to shooting 26% from the floor to take a 37-24 lead. 

    Anochilli-Killen, who made his first appearance of the season after sitting out the fans first game vs UPIKE, led the way in scoring for the Thundering Herd in the first half with 14 points.

    “It really feels good to be in front of a crowd,” Anochilli-Killen said during the postgame news conference. “I didn’t play the other day (UPIKE) and this game that we played tonight was awesome. We didn’t have a (fully) packed house, but it was enough to bring the energy.”

    Marshall despite its strong first half defense performance, struggled with shooting, especially from behind the arc as the Herd shot 13% going 2-16. 

    “We didn’t shoot the ball well the last two days in practice, and I was hoping that would change today,” Coach Jackson said during his postgame news conference. “We’re trying to do the right things and share the ball, with physicality and trying to do the right things defensively, those shots will fall. I’m confident in these guys.”

    Davis & Elkins, despite the struggles from shooting, was able to generate points from the free throw line going 10-16.

    “I was looking at the scoreboard and we only had 18 they only had 18 points and then we gave them what like 10 points in fouls maybe 20 points in fouls,” Anochilli-Killen said. “So, we went down to the locker room, and we thought to ourselves, that we were the ones killing ourselves basically down the first half by just giving them fouls.”

    The Thundering Herd picked up the intensity in the second half, beginning it on an 11-2 run that stretch the lead to 22 points less than five minutes into the second half. 

    Both teams offensively improved in the shooting department as Davis & Elkins would go 45% from the field, including 3-6 from behind the arc. Marshall shot 55%, including 6-18 from the 3-point line.

    Fricks led all the rebounders with 11 and scored 15 points in the game for Marshall.

    “Just offseason work being in the gym trying to better my game for this year and the years moving forward,” Fricks said. “I feel like I had confidence and just experience now too.”

    Senior Nate Martin matched the total in scoring, which included multiple and-one scoring plays, and finished with 5 rebounds. 

    “Nate, he's a leader he will rock you to sleep a little bit because he has a quiet demeanor,” Coach Jackson said. “If you see him off the court, he smiles he has a super quiet demeanor, but on the court, he's a different animal, and he's the leader in charge in terms of our physicality; he's put in the work.”

    Anochilli-Killen led the Thundering Herd in scoring with 18 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes. Ryan Nutter scored 11.

    Davis & Elkins was led in scoring by Malachi Hampton, who netted 10 while four other players had at least six. The consistent struggles with turnovers doomed the Senators as they turned the ball of 22 times, with 16 being credited as steals for Marshall.

    “One thing about getting steals is just playing hard basically that's all we do play hard get and the right spot and the ball is going to come to you,” Anochilli-Killen said. “Coach always puts in our head every single time in practice if you get on the right spot and you play hard, and you communicate, you're going to get steals, and you're going to get dunks.” 

    Marshall men’s basketball will return to the Cam Henderson Center Saturday as it will entertain the Toledo Rockets of the Mid-American Conference at 2 p.m.