GETTING INSIDE

   Marshall has been a middle-of-the-pack Conference USA program during each of Donnie Jones’ two seasons as coach. The Thundering Herd is hoping to step up by returning a veteran team that includes four starters and eight lettermen.

   Leading the way are Chris Lutz and Tyler Wilkerson, two of only three players to average at least 10 points per game last season. They’re expected to get a big boost from junior-college transfer Antonio Haymon.

   Building some early season momentum won’t be east. Marshall has 10 games against teams that qualified for postseason play in 2009.

   The Conference USA slate is challenging enough, with five teams that earned postseason sports (NCAA: Memphis; NIT: UAB, Tulsa; CBI: UTEP, Houston). Marshall will also play home-and home league games against East Carolina, UCF, Tulane, UAB, and Tulsa.

   “I am excited to have the opportunity to compete in this year’s C-USA schedule,” Jones said. “I feel this year’s conference schedule will be the most difficult from top to bottom since my arrival with lots of parity between all of the conference teams.” 

   Jones is counting on big things from Haymon, who earned All-American honors last season at Cecil Community College. Haymon (6-6, 220) can play both forward positions. He averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game last season for a squad that was ranked No. 1 in the national junior college rankings for several weeks.

   “Antonio will bring explosiveness, athleticism and toughness to our program,” Jones said. “He is a very talented combo forward that can play multiple positions and has the ability to make an immediate impact.” 

NOTES, QUOTES

 

  —Senior G Chris Lutz led Marshall with 65 3-pointers last season. Lutz has the ability to fill it up in a hurry, highlighted by the 34 points he scored after halftime to lead MU to a 89-86 overtime win over Tulane. Lutz’s 37 points were a career high and the most by a Marshall player since Ronald Blackshear scored 40 at East Michigan in 2003.

   Lutz is the top returning scorer (10.7 ppg) and scored in double figures in 15 of 32 games. He also earned a spot on the Philippines National Team. The Philippines will attempt to qualify for the 2012 Olympics during the 2011 Asia Championships.

   —Sophomore G Damier Pitts made 32-of-34 free throws in the final two minutes of games during his freshman campaign. He was an All-Conference USA Freshman Team selection.   

• Marshall drew more than 5,000 to the Cam Henderson Center eight times last season, the most since the 2000-01 campaign (12). The Thundering Herd was 13-3 at home last season and is 296-94 in the Henderson Center since the facility opened in 1981.    

Last Year:   15-17 overall, 7-9 in C-USA.   

Head Coach:   Donnie Jones (career 31-31); Third season overall and at Marshall.  

Quote To Note:   “Our non-conference schedule is set up to prepare our team, which is younger than it was last year for Conference USA play. We are playing two teams in North Carolina and West Virginia that are potential preseason top-10 teams. We are also playing several other teams such as Ohio that have the potential to make the NCAA Tournament.”—Coach Donnie Jones.   

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

  

Scouting The Newcomers:   Transfer F Antonio Haymon upgrades the frontline. Haymon helped lead Cecil Community College to an impressive two-year record of 65-3 by scoring 1,100 points and grabbing 550 rebounds. Freshman G DeAndre Kane averaged 15-6 points at Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C., this past season. The physical wing can score and defend.   

Key Early-season Games:   A trip to Chapel Hill to face defending national champion North Carolina on Dec. 22 is looming large. Marshall also travels to Old Dominion on Nov. 21. Lamar visits Huntington on Nov. 25.   

Program Direction:   Four starters are returning from a squad that flirted with a .500 record. The seven returning letter winners accounted for more than 55 points and nearly 22 rebounds per game last season. The Thundering Herd hasn’t been in either of the two major postseason tournaments (NCAA or NIT) in more than two decades.   

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Damier Pitts, SG Chris Lutz, F Tirrell Baines, F Antonio Haymon, F Tyler Wilkerson.   

Roster Report:     

• Senior G Darryl Merthie has earned another year of eligibility due to academic progress. Merthie is one of three seniors on the Marshall squad. The 6-foot guard led MU in assists six times last season.   

• Senior F Tyler Wilkerson returns after missing the final 10 games last season due to a broken jaw. Wilkerson led Marshall in rebounding (6.2) and blocks (1.6).

   —Adam Williams was chosen as one of five members of the C-USA All-Academic team. Williams was one of 12 recipients of the Winter Conference USA Spirit of Service Award. Williams has elected to forego his final year of playing eligibility to join the MU staff as a graduate assistant manager.

   —Sophomore F Eladio Espinosa will sit out the season after transferring from South Florida.