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Chuck Landon: Defense, rebounding can only go so far
Checkmarks.
That's basically what decides just about every game.
Marshall's ugly 56-49 loss to UAB Wednesday night before 5,653 disgruntled fans at the Henderson Center was no different.
On the contrary, it was a prime example.
Defense? Uncheck.
UAB shot a blistering -- at least, for the Blazers -- 50 percent (12 of 24) from the floor during the first half, although it finished at its usual 40.4 percent rate. More important, UAB had 17 assists on 21 field goals. That's a sure sign it was running its offense successfully.
Rebounding? Uncheck.
The battle of the boards was a wash -- MU 40, UAB 40. Count that tie as a very big loss to Marshall. That's because the Herd's entire game plan night-in and night-out is predicated on out-rebounding an opponent by a definitive margin.
If Marshall doesn't accomplish that, Marshall doesn't win. It's that simple.
Offense? Triple uncheck.
Pick a shot, any shot.
The Herd connected on just 15 of 35 (42.9 percent) two-point field goal attempts, shot only 4-for-19 (21.1 percent) from 3-point range and made just 7 of 17 foul shots (41.2 percent).
Marshall's offense was so poor, the Herd actually went a span of 8:47 in the game-deciding second half without scoring a field goal.
Nearly nine minutes!
Dennis Tinnon converted a DeAndre Kane miss with 11:47 to play and the Herd didn't score another basket until Damier Pitts swished a 3-pointer with 3:00 remaining. Marshall missed 10 consecutive field goal attempts during that span.
And, again, the measure of Marshall's offensive ineptness was in assists. Eight of Marshall's 19 field goals were made without the benefit of an assist.
What does that indicate?
That Marshall's offense consisted of the guards bricking perimeter jumpshots or missing on slashing drives and, then, hoping its big guys grabbed the offensive rebounds and scored on putbacks.
Granted, that has been somewhat the case most of this season. That's why Marshall came into this Conference USA contest only a half-game out of first place with a 4-1 record despite shooting only 41.4 percent from the floor in league games.
The problem is Marshall isn't getting better offensively, it's getting worse.
Again, the MU-UAB game was a prime example.
Just ask Tom Herrion.
"Our offense let us down mightily," said the Marshall head coach during a terse post-game press conference that lasted a mere 63 seconds.
There's a reason Marshall was ranked last in C-USA games in foul shooting at a miserable 59.0 percent (49 of 83). Why, Robert Goff and Nigel Spikes combined for 3 of 11 foul shooting Wednesday night.
That and 35 missed field goal attempts were too much for any defensive- and rebounding-oriented team to overcome.
"It put so much pressure on our defense," said Herrion, "when you can't get a stop."
Indeed.
That's why the Herd should have taken the ball inside like it did in the beginning of the game when Tinnon reeled off eight consecutive points.
"We should have kept pounding the ball inside," said Pitts. "That's what we should have done. But we can't go back now."
As a result, Marshall has its first three-game losing streak in Herrion's tenure with a trip to Memphis looming on the horizon Saturday.
The bottom line?
Defense and rebounding can take a team only so far.
At some point, it still has to make a shot.
Chuck Landon is a columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 304-526-2827 or email him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
