Hassan Whiteside doesn't need to ask the fast food drive-through attendant to "super size me."

Marshall's 7-foot true freshman center with the 7-foot-7 wingspan already is biggie sized.

Just ask Tyler Wilkerson.

The Herd's senior power forward has been playing in Whiteside's considerable shadow during the entire 2009-10 basketball season.

It was inevitable.

Whiteside is the brand spanking new, 7-foot, first-year phenom. Wilkerson is the 6-8 veteran who is as familiar as a favorite armchair after four years in the program.

So, naturally, all the talk, all the notice, all the raves are about the new guy on the block.

With one notable exception.

There's one small group that has the ability to peer into that shadow, distinguish through those shades of gray and recognize just how well Wilkerson has been playing for Marshall.

The group?

Opposing coaches.

"Wilkerson plays alongside Whiteside and that's a big-time player beside him," said veteran UAB coach Mike Davis. "Coach (Donnie) Jones has done a terrific job of putting a team together. I know they're struggling a little bit right now. They're so young.

"And I know Wilkerson hurt his ankle against Memphis. I watched that game. Without him hurting his ankle, I think they probably had a chance to win the game.

"Whiteside has an advantage a little bit because he has Wilkerson beside him. Wilkerson is just a handful. I don't think he gets enough credit for being a really good basketball player.

"I've seen him develop over the last couple of years into a really good basketball player. And that's a tribute to Coach Jones and his staff."

Davis gets it.

That's why he realizes how significant Wilkerson's contributions have been to Marshall this season.

Heading into the Herd's game against East Carolina at 7 p.m., Saturday, at the Henderson Center, Wilkerson is averaging a team-high 13.0 points with 6.7 rebounds while shooting .510 from the floor and .767 from the foul line.

He has been Marshall's rock. No ups, downs and all-arounds. Wilkerson shows up every night.

And nobody notices that more than opposing coaches.

Right, Doug Wojcik?

"I thought Marshall played a great game and I will say this again, I have always thought Tyler Wilkerson is one of the best post players in the league," said Tulsa's coach, after watching Wilkerson score a career-high 26 points during MU's 73-69 loss to the Golden Hurricane Wednesday night.

"He's a very good player. I've always felt that way. And he put on a show tonight."

What it amounts to is a fast-food metaphor.

Sometimes you don't have to be super-sized. Sometimes being the "value meal" is more than enough.

Just pull up to the drive-through and say, "Give me a No. 32."

A couple of Conference USA coaches had interesting comments about Marshall during a teleconference this week.

Tulane coach Dave Dickerson was very impressed with Marshall's new locker rooms after visiting on Jan. 16.

"They're the best I've seen in college basketball," said Dickerson.

And Houston coach Tom Penders cautioned people not to write off the Herd despite a five-game losing streak.

"Marshall," said Penders, "is going to be a tough out for anyone the rest of the way."

Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 304-526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.

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