By: Connor Brown, Production Director, FM88 Sports
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WMUL-FM) – The Marshall Thundering Herd (1-1) will look to get back on track Monday night when it travels to Columbus to face the Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1) in a non-conference matchup at the Schottenstein Center.
Marshall opened its season with an impressive 92-65 victory over Buffalo on Nov. 2, but the Herd could not carry that momentum into Saturday’s matchup against Toledo. The Rockets handed Marshall an 81-76 loss inside the Cam Henderson Center, giving the Herd its first setback of the season.
Despite the loss, Marshall showed it can compete offensively. Bryce Slay led the Herd with a new career high of 23 points, knocking down five of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc. Noah Otshudi followed with 22 points, shooting 9-of-18 from the field while adding five rebounds and four assists. Khaman Maker also made an impact inside, recording 10 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Marshall finished the game with 49 rebounds compared to Toledo’s 38 and made 10 three-pointers. However, the biggest difference came in ball security. The Herd committed 16 turnovers, while Toledo gave the ball away just five times. Marshall also struggled to generate offense inside, scoring only nine points in the paint compared to Toledo’s 22.
That turnover margin will be something Marshall needs to address against an Ohio State team that has started the season with a 1-1 record of its own.
The Buckeyes opened their campaign with a 94-83 road loss to #25 BYU on Nov. 2 before responding with an 89-65 victory over Youngstown State on Friday. Ohio State found its rhythm in the second half against the Penguins, outscoring Youngstown State 51-32 after halftime to secure its first win of the season.
John Mobley Jr. led the Buckeyes with 25 points, while Andrija Jelavic added 21 points and nine rebounds. Amare Bynum also finished in double figures with 15 points, giving Ohio State three players who reached at least 15 points in the victory.
Through its first two games, Ohio State is averaging 86 points per contest while shooting 47.1% from the field. The Buckeyes have also been effective at the free-throw line, converting 88.7% of their attempts. Their ability to get to the line and capitalize on those opportunities could create problems for a Marshall defense that sent Toledo to the line 35 times on Saturday.
Rebounding will also be an important part of Monday’s matchup. Ohio State is averaging 39.5 rebounds per game and holds a 10-rebound advantage over its opponents on average. Marshall
showed against Toledo that it can control the glass, collecting 49 rebounds, including 15 on the offensive end. Continuing that effort could help the Herd create additional scoring opportunities against the Buckeyes.
Marshall head coach Cornelius Jackson discussed the team’s offensive identity during media day, emphasizing the importance of playing with pace and using the team’s athleticism.
“We want to get up and down. We want to score the basketball,” Jackson said.
That approach will be important against an Ohio State team that has scored 83 and 89 points in its first two games. Marshall will need to find ways to create opportunities in transition while limiting the turnovers that hurt the Herd against Toledo.
The matchup also gives Marshall another opportunity to measure itself against a Big Ten opponent early in the season. The Herd showed what its offense can accomplish in the season-opening win over Buffalo, but the Toledo game exposed areas that need improvement as the schedule gets more challenging.
Marshall will look to put those lessons to use Monday night as it tries to earn its second win of the season and leave Columbus with a victory.
Tipoff between Marshall and Ohio State is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9, at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
FM88 Sports’ Rhys Owens and Connor Brown will be making the trip to Columbus and will be on the call with pregame coverage scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and tipoff at 6:00 p.m.