Herd prepares for San Diego

HUNTINGTON — Someone once said you’re only as good as you practice.

Marshall didn’t practice well before a Sunday men’s basketball home game against Tennessee State, and it showed. Marshall head coach Donnie Jones said one thing the Thundering Herd did well in practice was shoot free throws, and that also showed in a 74-60 victory.

“We won it at the free throw line with (making) 24 of 25,” Jones said.

Herd players practice in game-like conditions. Every drill has a winner and the loser has to run sprints. Jones demands the same amount of energy he wants on game day.

Getting young players to practice hard is a challenge, Jones said.

Marshall (7-5) rolled in the first half, leading the Tigers (3-8) by 22 points, before a second-half letdown allowed Tennessee State to claw back within four points with 8:54 left in the game.

The Herd came out for the second half thinking it would be easy, Jones said.

“We just need to have a full practice,” Herd guard Chris Lutz said. “We need to put a full practice together. We need to work harder in practice. Sometimes we might have a letdown in practice or we might get too relaxed at the end, kind of like the second half today.

“We didn’t play defense like we should have, and we just have to work harder in practice, that’s it. It’ll translate.”

Jones said he would have double practices Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday trying to get it right.

Marshall’s next game is Friday night at San Diego. The Toreros are 6-7 entering tonight’s game at Mississippi State.

The 96-percent performance at the foul line saved the day for Marshall, which made only 44 percent of its shots and committed 17 turnovers.

Tirrell Baines had 18 points and Lutz scored 17. Damier Pitts added 14. Markel Humphrey and Dago Pena both tossed in eight points. Baines and Humphrey both had six rebounds and Marshall had a plus-five advantage on the boards.

Humphrey had an MRI scan done on his left foot and played on a bruised bone.

“The football was all right,” the senior said. “I really wasn’t thinking about it. I’ve got to try to stay healthy for the good of the team.”

Jones said Humphrey’s running and jumping ability are diminished, but he’s giving the team everything he has.

Junior guard Adam Williams earned his first starting assignment of the season (career third). Williams played for a season-high 11 minutes.

“We put him in there to guard Gerald Robinson and I thought he did a good job,” Jones said.

Williams played eight minutes of the first half when Robinson had five points.

The Tennessee State sophomore led the Tigers with 21.