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SPORTS
Goode is living up to nickname for Herd
Jeremy McKnight/For The Herald-Dispatch Marshall's Marcus Goode takes a deep breath after a time out during the Marshall vs Old Dominion baskeball game at the Cam Henderson Center on Saturday, November 29, 2008.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- Marcus Goode wasn't aware of what he'd done, and didn't seem to be impressed.
When a reporter informed Goode that he made 12 consecutive shots in two Marshall University men's basketball games, the sophomore nicknamed "Big Boy" wearing the Rec-Specs Sports Goggles shrugged and changed the topic to passing.
"I like to pass," Goode said. "I tell my teammates, if you flash I'll get you the ball."
That was obvious Saturday when Goode caught the ball in the lane, saw Shaq Johnson moving behind him down the baseline and fed the cutter for an important basket in the second half of Marshall's 68-64 defeat of Old Dominion in Cam Henderson Center.
Marshall (2-3) returns to the court for a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday home game with East Tennessee State (3-3). Tip-off time is later than normal because Marshall has a 4 p.m. women's game against UT-Arlington.
ETSU lost Saturday at Bradley, 82-69, when senior guard Courtney Pigram scored 27. Pigram leads the Buccaneers with a 17.8 average. Forward Kevin Tiggs, who scored 15 in the loss, averages 17.5 a game. Forward Mike Smith is averaging 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds.
Goode is big -- 6-foot-10, 300-plus pounds -- and he is playing, well, good, for the Thundering Herd.
The sophomore connected on his first five shots Saturday on his way to finishing the game 5-for-7 with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Last week in a loss to Ole Miss he went 7-for-7 to score 14 points.
He's getting it done on short jump shots, occasional outside jumpers and layups with a few dunks thrown in.
"Marcus is unstoppable," teammate Tirrell Baines said. "I told him he can score any time he wants to."
Goode was fitted for the goggles he wears on the court, and eyeglasses he wears to classes, a few weeks ago after head coach Donnie Jones noticed the 20-year-old had trouble reading things written on the locker room blackboard. He had never been to an optometrist.
Jones said wearing glasses has improved Goode's confidence on and off the court.
"I see better," Goode said. "I see the goal a lot better."
The Chapin, S.C., native, who sat out last season because of academic shortcomings, is averaging 6.6 points and 5.0 rebounds through five games and shooting 75.0 percent from the field at 15-for-20.
Goode has been the spark off the Herd bench despite playing only 9.2 minutes per game.
"Marcus continues to grow," Jones said. "We know he can score. The thing he needs to do is defend, and he's doing that."
A reporter also asked Goode what was responsible for his two-game surge.
"Coach getting on me," he said.
