TULSA, Okla. -- Selection Sunday is four days away.

Marshall begins its quest for the NCAA tournament Thursday at the BOK Center and probably its only chance of getting into the 65-team field is by winning the conference championship. The C-USA automatic bid is awarded to the winner of the championship game Saturday.

The only bad loss for Marshall was to No. 161 Houston on the road, but there probably aren't enough quality wins on the Thundering Herd tournament resume to merit selection.

But, Marshall is very much in the running for an invitation to either the NIT (32 teams), College Basketball Invitational (16) or CollegeInsider.com Tournament (16).

It's been a long time between postseason appearances by Marshall - 22 seasons since the Herd was in the 1988 NIT and 23 since its last NCAA appearance in 1987.

FOND FAREWELL: One of Huntington's favorite sons said farewell to coaching Wednesday.

Mack McCarthy, 57, coached his final game for East Carolina in the C-USA first round. Houston eliminated the Pirates, 93-80. McCarthy announced a week ago that he would step down at the end of the season. He is moving into an administrative role with the ECU athletic department.

But, was it his final game ever?

"I know this was the last game this year," he said.

McCarthy was a Marshall fan favorite during his years at Chattanooga in the Southern Conference and at East Carolina.

He had a 343-234 career record in 19 seasons as an NCAA Division I head coach. His career also included a stop at VCU.

"I've loved every minute of it," he said.

BRACKET BREAKDOWN: Marshall had a 5-2 record this season against teams on the same side of the conference tournament bracket as the Herd. Marshall was 6-3 against teams on the other side of the bracket.

TOP HONORS: UTEP made a clean sweep of C-USA's top individual honors.

Junior guard Randy Culpepper of the Miners was named as the conference player of the year. He is third in the league for scoring with 18.1 per game and led the team to the regular season title.

He had three 30-point games and lit up East Carolina for 45.

Tony Barbee was selected as the C-USA Coach of the Year. His fourth UTEP team is nationally ranked with a 25-4 record.

WHAT THEY SAID: C-USA selected Marshall freshman center Hassan Whiteside as its Defensive Player of the Year. Whiteside has blocked 168 shots this season.

Following is his comment on receiving the award.

"It was one of my goals that I had coming into this season. I hoped to make a difference coming into this season, but I didn't think it would happen this fast. Every block takes away two points from the other team. If you get three or four in a game, that takes away six or eight points.

"This is the first step on the ladder. I want to keep working hard, and I want to help my team (earn) some more."

C-USA also selected Marshall sophomore guard Dago Pena as the co-recipient of Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Here's what Pena said.

"I want to thank my teammates who have helped me work hard and work through my injuries this season. I would also like to thank my coaches who try and help me get better everyday."

GETTING NOTICED: Tulsa World newspaper reporter Eric Bailey tabbed Marshall as a team to watch.

"A stat to remember: Marshall has four losses to the top five teams (UTEP, Memphis, UAB, Tulsa) by a combined 13 points," Bailey wrote.

A REAL BARGAIN: C-USA announced free admission for women's tournament Wednesday semifinal games and the Friday afternoon championship being played in Reynolds Center on the Tulsa campus.

Sports editor Rick McCann covers Marshall men's basketball for The Herald-Dispatch. Contact him at 304-526-2759 or hedge@herald-dispatch.com.

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