01-08-2006, 04:37 PM
Herd gives Colonials a scare, but falls in OT
HUNTINGTON -- Marshall's loose grip on the basketball and bad free throw shooting cost the Thundering Herd a possible major upset.
George Washington, ranked No.19 in the USA TODAY/ESPN men's basketball poll and No. 20 in The Associated Press rankings, took full advantage of the Marshall miscues and left Cam Henderson Center with a 79-73 overtime victory Saturday night.
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Marshall (6-6) committed 28 turnovers and made just 18 of 33 free throws.
"Those numbers don't lie," Marshall coach Ron Jirsa said.
The Thundering Herd missed three potential game-winning free throws in the final 25 seconds of regulation and the game went to overtime tied 64-64.
A season-best crowd of 4,415 whooped it up when Marshall threatened to put George Washington away in the second half. Once in overtime, the Colonials (10-1) ruled.
George Washington coach Karl Hobbs, who has mostly seniors and juniors in key roles, said the scene was reminiscent of a game when his players were younger and let an eight-point lead slip away in an overtime defeat.
"I think these guys learned from those experiences," Hobbs said. "This Marshall team reminds me so much of when these guys were freshmen and sophomores. They approached the game like they knew they were going to win.
"We really struggled. We were really having some major problems."
Mike Hall's offensive rebound and basket followed by Maureece Rice's three-point shot put the Colonials ahead, 70-66, with 2:10 to go in the five-minute extra period.
Marshall's Mark Patton took the ball inside for a basket that put the Herd within 72-71 with one minute left.
George Washington's Danilo Pinnock cut into the lane for a field goal and was fouled by the Herd's Mark Dorris with 39 seconds remaining. Patton protested, thinking the foul was called against him, and picked up a technical foul.
Patton said one of the game officials said he shoved a George Washington player. The technical was also Patton's fifth foul and he was disqualified with 21 points and six rebounds.
Jirsa responded by saying whether it was a shove or not, it was unnecessary.
"We can't do that," Jirsa said. "We can't push somebody when the game is on the line."
Pinnock missed his free throw. Hall made one of two foul shots on the technical for a 75-71 lead.
The Colonials closed by making four of six foul shots.
George Washington's Montrell McDonald received a technical foul for dunking in the pregame warmup and Patton gave the Herd a
2-0 advantage with two free throws before the opening tip. Marshall was in control most of the game, holding off several George Washington runs, and had a 57-46 lead with 4:25 remaining in the second half.
"We came out and played with confidence," Marshall's Markel Humphrey said. "We believed in ourselves."
The Colonials cranked it up after being held to one field goal in an eight-minute stretch and got back in the game at 57-56 with a 10-0 scoring spurt fueled by three Herd turnovers in four possessions.
Humphrey connected on an open three-point shot to keep Marshall ahead, 62-58, with 1:07 remaining.
Marshall missed three free throws in the final 25 seconds and Rice fired in a three-pointer for the Colonials with 16 seconds left to put it in overtime.
"We had chances to win and did not close the door," Jirsa said. "I think we missed a very good opportunity."
Humphrey had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Marshall point guard Chris Ross had 11 points, but also committed eight turnovers.
Pinnock scored 15 of his 21 after halftime. Only six players scored for the Colonials, but Carl Elliott (18), Pops Mensah-Bonsu (15) and Rice (15) all hit double figures.
HUNTINGTON -- Marshall's loose grip on the basketball and bad free throw shooting cost the Thundering Herd a possible major upset.
George Washington, ranked No.19 in the USA TODAY/ESPN men's basketball poll and No. 20 in The Associated Press rankings, took full advantage of the Marshall miscues and left Cam Henderson Center with a 79-73 overtime victory Saturday night.
ADVERTISEMENT
Marshall (6-6) committed 28 turnovers and made just 18 of 33 free throws.
"Those numbers don't lie," Marshall coach Ron Jirsa said.
The Thundering Herd missed three potential game-winning free throws in the final 25 seconds of regulation and the game went to overtime tied 64-64.
A season-best crowd of 4,415 whooped it up when Marshall threatened to put George Washington away in the second half. Once in overtime, the Colonials (10-1) ruled.
George Washington coach Karl Hobbs, who has mostly seniors and juniors in key roles, said the scene was reminiscent of a game when his players were younger and let an eight-point lead slip away in an overtime defeat.
"I think these guys learned from those experiences," Hobbs said. "This Marshall team reminds me so much of when these guys were freshmen and sophomores. They approached the game like they knew they were going to win.
"We really struggled. We were really having some major problems."
Mike Hall's offensive rebound and basket followed by Maureece Rice's three-point shot put the Colonials ahead, 70-66, with 2:10 to go in the five-minute extra period.
Marshall's Mark Patton took the ball inside for a basket that put the Herd within 72-71 with one minute left.
George Washington's Danilo Pinnock cut into the lane for a field goal and was fouled by the Herd's Mark Dorris with 39 seconds remaining. Patton protested, thinking the foul was called against him, and picked up a technical foul.
Patton said one of the game officials said he shoved a George Washington player. The technical was also Patton's fifth foul and he was disqualified with 21 points and six rebounds.
Jirsa responded by saying whether it was a shove or not, it was unnecessary.
"We can't do that," Jirsa said. "We can't push somebody when the game is on the line."
Pinnock missed his free throw. Hall made one of two foul shots on the technical for a 75-71 lead.
The Colonials closed by making four of six foul shots.
George Washington's Montrell McDonald received a technical foul for dunking in the pregame warmup and Patton gave the Herd a
2-0 advantage with two free throws before the opening tip. Marshall was in control most of the game, holding off several George Washington runs, and had a 57-46 lead with 4:25 remaining in the second half.
"We came out and played with confidence," Marshall's Markel Humphrey said. "We believed in ourselves."
The Colonials cranked it up after being held to one field goal in an eight-minute stretch and got back in the game at 57-56 with a 10-0 scoring spurt fueled by three Herd turnovers in four possessions.
Humphrey connected on an open three-point shot to keep Marshall ahead, 62-58, with 1:07 remaining.
Marshall missed three free throws in the final 25 seconds and Rice fired in a three-pointer for the Colonials with 16 seconds left to put it in overtime.
"We had chances to win and did not close the door," Jirsa said. "I think we missed a very good opportunity."
Humphrey had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Marshall point guard Chris Ross had 11 points, but also committed eight turnovers.
Pinnock scored 15 of his 21 after halftime. Only six players scored for the Colonials, but Carl Elliott (18), Pops Mensah-Bonsu (15) and Rice (15) all hit double figures.
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OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1');on error resume next plugin = ( IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash.3")))if ( plugin [Image: bilde?Site=C1&Date=20060108&Category=SPO...5&Border=0]Randy Snyder/The Herald-Dispatch
Marshall's Mark Dorris buries his face in his hands as George Washington defeats the Thundering Herd in overtime 79-73 on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006, at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, W.Va.