— By David Walsh
Marshall coach Corny Jackson had an idea what Georgia Southern would do in their Sun Belt Conference matchup Saturday night.
“They want to shoot threes and get to the basket,” Jackson said. “Pretty much sums it up. Credit to them. They came out hard. We fought back, but not enough.”
Georgia Southern celebrated Senior Night as the departing seven players combined for 95 points to help power the Eagles past the Thundering Herd, 101-87, in the first nationally-televised game (ESPNU) inside the Jack and Ruth Hill Convocation Center in Statesboro, Ga.
“Giving them 10 threes in the first half and giving them pretty much both sums up the game,” Jackson said. “It didn’t help we didn’t have Wyatt [Fricks]. He got in foul trouble and played just four minutes (in the first half).”
Marshall is 16-10 overall, 8-5 in the Sun Belt and back in action at 7 p.m. Monday when it welcomes South Alabama for a makeup game.
Georgia Southern is 15-12 and 7-7 in the SBC.
The 10 threes allowed the Eagles to race to a 59-42 lead at the break. They held off a second-half charge by the Herd, which got as close as nine points, to secure the win in their final home game of the season.
Graduate Tyren Moore poured in 32 points with 21 in the first half. He drilled a career-high eight three-pointers. Spudd Webb added 18 points, Jefferson Koulibaly 16 with four threes and Alden Applewhite 14 to go with 10 rebounds.
Jackson felt Moore and Webb did the expected. It’s the unexpected that was a bigger issue for his team.
“He and Spud (Webb) did what they normally do,” Jackson said. “The one (Koulibaly) that hurt us barely plays and he has four threes.”
Marshall did reduce what was a 73-49 deficit to nine in the final 2 minutes, but got no closer.
“We continued to play,” Jackson said. “We never get down regardless of the score. They shot the ball well in the first half and that told the tale.”
Jalen Speer paced the Herd with 20 points, 17 coming in the first half. Fricks, who is from Lawrenceville, Ga., had 17 as did Landen Joseph, who came off the bench. Noah Otshudi settled for 13 before he fouled out. Matt Van Komen, the 7-foot-4 transfer from Elon, missed his fourth straight game. He’s nursing an injured foot.
Georgia Southern topped the century mark for the first time in SBC play this season and second time overall. The 59 points in the first half are the most in any half under coach Charlie Henry.
The 101 points also are the most under Henry. Since joining the SBC in 2014-15, the Eagles are 44-3 in league play when scoring 90-plus points in a game. They are 9-0 this season when tallying 90-plus.
Jackson feels South Alabama is in a good place mentally after coming back from 18 points down with 7:45 left to knock off Arkansas State, 92-88, in overtime Saturday in Jonesboro, Ark.
“Go back home and see if we can get well and make a better showing Monday,” Jackson said. “They won the OT game and obviously are feeling good.”