COLUMN
I’ve no more metaphors about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or clever clichés about a riddle wrapped in an enigma to describe this 2012-13 Marshall basketball team.
I’ve simply given up trying to wrap my head around this team and have just come to accept that we won’t know until the game starts which Marshall team has come to the arena that night. That’s why the upcoming Conference USA Tournament brings as much optimism as it does anxiousness.
Could the team that played with a chip on its shoulder Tuesday night against Southern Miss show up in Tulsa next week and shock the conference?
Absolutely.
When The Herd has taken care of the basics, limiting turnovers and making free throws, it has been successful. The Herd shot 77 percent from the foul line against Southern Miss and made 9-of-10 down the stretch. If Marshall is able to convert 65 percent of its free throws instead of a league low 60 percent you could likely tack on two or three more wins on the season.
“We made them when they counted,” said Head Coach Tom Herrion after Marshall’s 88-84 in over the Golden Eagles. “Our kids stepped up with confidence and it was contagious. Free throws win games and clearly that was a big ingredient for us.”
Both games against UCF and Marshall’s trip to the FedEx Forum are examples of the team coming out of the lockerroom ready to play with the necessary focus and intensity to win. The most recent example of that came Tuesday night at the Henderson Center.
“We responded. We got embarrassed in Hattiesburg a month ago and we came out ready to play,” Herrion asserted.
Of course the team that lost to Southern Miss by 56 points could also rear its ugly head and Marshall exit the conference tournament early on.
One more game
The Herd will finish the regular season Saturday at East Carolina and will go for the season sweep of the Pirates. The Herd cruised to a 77-56 win over ECU during their first meeting at the Cam Henderson Center but that’s no guarantee Marshall will see similar success in Greenville, N.C.
One of the few aspects of Marshall’s game that has been consistent is its dismal play on the road. The Herd’s only road win was an 82-70 victory over UCF. Otherwise Marshall has struggled mightily away from Huntington.
C-USA Seedings
There are multiple scenarios that can play out this weekend as far as where Marshall will be seeded for the C-USA tournament. The Herd could finish as high a No. 7 or as low as No. 10. Marshall will get bumped up to the 9th seed when UCF, which is ineligible for postseason play, is removed from the standings.
For a comprehensive break down of all the possibilities check out Jack Bogaczyk’s column on Herdzone.com.