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SPORTS
MU faces University of San Diego
Marshall's Chris Lutz hangs on to the ball as he works his way to the basket during the first half of the NCAA men's basketball game against Cumberlands on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008, at the Cam Henderson Center.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON — Marshall University men’s basketball players should be ready for about anything.
Marshall’s early schedule included:
- Sunday afternoon meetings with WVU Tech and Tennessee State.
- A morning game (11 a.m.) against Old Dominion.
- A three-game tournament setting in Florida.
- A difficult road game at Dayton with a crowd of 13,000.
- Seven home games.
Plus, a cross-country trip for a 10 p.m. game today at San Diego.
“The good news is that will get you ready for your league,” Marshall head coach Donnie Jones said. “Our guys have been in every environment. The thing we haven’t been able to control is having all our arsenal.”
Marshall (7-5) is playing its final non-conference game today before beginning the Conference USA part of its schedule Wednesday at Memphis.
Injuries have slowed Marshall progress, the latest involving Markel Humphrey, Shaq Johnson and Marcus Goode.
Humphrey is playing on with a bruised bone in his left foot. The senior forward averaging 10.2 points and 4.5 rebounds had eight and six respectively in the latest game Sunday, a 74-60 defeat of Tennessee State.
Johnson is a freshman guard who hit double figures in six of his first seven games. He has an ankle injury and Jones said he might play today. Goode, a 6-foot-10 sophomore center, has a knee problem. An MRI scan showed no damage, but Jones said he doesn’t anticipate him playing at San Diego.
Marshall wasn’t the only team flying cross-country this week. San Diego (7-7) returned to the West Coast following an overtime win Tuesday at Mississippi State (64-61).
San Diego is making a habit of beating Southeastern Conference opponents right before facing the Thundering Herd. Last season the Toreros won at Kentucky (81-62) on their way to Huntington where they lost to Marshall (76-60).
Jones wasn’t pleased with the Herd’s preparation for the Tennessee State game and said bad practice habits led to a shoddy performance against a 3-8 team. The 14-point victory looked a bit better after Tennessee State’s five-point loss Tuesday at Georgia Tech.
Marshall had some intense practices this week.
“Our guys got pushed to a different level,” Jones said.
Junior guard Chris Lutz has led Marshall with double-figure scoring in six of seven games since coming back from a hamstring injury. Sophomore forward Tirrell Baines led the Herd against Tennessee State with 18 points and Lutz added 17 with three 3-pointers.
Lutz (12.0), freshman guard Damier Pitts (11.0), Baines (10.3) and Humphrey are the Marshall scoring leaders. Baines is getting 5.8 rebounds a game and junior forward Tyler Wilkerson (9.7 points) averages 5.3.
San Diego also has four players scoring in double figures, led by sophomore guard Trumaine Johnson’s 16.5 a game. Johnson played in the last two games after coming off a suspension. He had 16 points in a loss to Boise State and scored 17 at Mississippi State.
The Toreros lost their star player, senior guard Brandon Johnson, because of an Achilles tendon injury. Brandon Johnson is a career 1,000-point scorer who averaged 13.5 in eight games.
Jones said the Toreros are starting to click with Trumaine Johnson on the court.
Gyno Pomare, a 6-8, 240-pound senior, became San Diego’s all-time leading scorer in the game at Mississippi State with 1,480. Pomare is averaging 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Sophomore forward Rob Jones is scoring 10.4 per game.
“It will be a tough, tough game,” Jones said.
Today’s game
Marshall (7-5)
at San Diego (7-7)
Tip-off: 10 p.m.
Site: Jenny Craig Pavilion
Location: San Diego, Calif.
On the Web: www.usdtoreros.com
Radio: WDGG 93.7-FM.
