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Senior guard and captain Cornelius Jackson leads his team into the unfriendly Convocation Center Saturday at 1 p.m. to take on Ohio University.

Showtime in Athens

by MICHAEL S. ADAMS
sports editor

Driving into Athens, Ohio, on Ohio Route 33, the Convocation Center quickly draws attention to the small town.

Aside from being one of the dominant buildings in Athens, it is the home of Ohio University basketball.

For many teams, it isn't a friendly place to play basketball. The Bobcats (11-6 overall, 6-3 MAC) have yet to lose at "The Convo" this season.

Marshall (13-5, 7-3) hasn't had much luck on the road this season. They have to travel to Athens Saturday to take on Ohio at 1 p.m.

"You have to play good basketball when you go into OU," Coach Greg White said. "Everyone who has gone into that arena has taken an L."

The Thundering Herd is 3-5 on the road this season, but undefeated at home.

Ohio handed Marshall its worst defeat of the season last year in the Convocation Center 77-53.

"Everywhere we go there is a hostile environment because we are Marshall," senior guard Cornelius Jackson said. "The crowd is always crazy when we come to town. We just have to stay focused."

Marshall defeated Toledo 72-57 Monday at the Cam Henderson Center.

Wednesday, Ohio traveled to Toledo and lost to the Rockets 66-53, giving the Thundering Herd a half game edge over the Bobcats for second place in the MAC East Division. Sophomore Brandon Hunter scored 16 points for Ohio and was the only Bobcat in double digits Wednesday night.

With Kent State losing on Tuesday to Ball State, Marshall now trails the division-leading Golden Flashes by one game, making Saturday's match-up with Ohio vital.

"We need some help from the other teams," White said. "It is encouraging for our ball club to see Ohio and Kent lose.

"I knew they (Kent) would lose. They haven't been on the road yet and now that they are on the road, we will see how good they really are."

Senior guard Travis Young was unaware that Ohio had fallen to Toledo Wednesday night.

"They lost," Young asked.

"Wow, Anything happens on the road.

"That is basketball, period. If you aren't ready to play, you can't win."

In last years game, White got into a verbal altercation with Ohio forward Sanjay Adell.

Adell graduated, but the Marshall and Ohio rivalry still is strong in both schools.

"This is a healthy rivalry," White said. "It isn't that far up to either school. I am sure there will be 18,000 people there Saturday. When they come here, they will bring a bunch of people with them. It is good for both schools."

Marshall took Tuesday and Wednesday off after beating the Rockets on Monday. Young said that the rest helped, but it is time to get back into the work mode.

"We needed the rest. We had a tough stretch there," he said. "What makes it hard is we are in the lazy mode. We have to get out of that and get back into the game face."

Marshall and Ohio have met 79 times since their first contest in 1930. The Bobcats hold a one game edge in the series. Jackson said Marshall can win Saturday and looks to even the score.

"We are both good teams. The team that executes their offense is going to win," Jackson said. "We can win."

Marshall and Ohio tip-off Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio. The game is being televised on WOWK Channel 13.