HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Elijah Pittman scored a career-high 35 points as Marshall cruised to a 96-78 win over UNC-Wilmington on Saturday.

Marshall (3-2) jumped to a 48-29 halftime lead, as Pittman scored 22 first-half points. UNC-Wilmington (3-4) kept the game close early, tying the score at 14 on Addison Spruill’s jumper. But Pittman hit two 3-pointers over the next three possessions and the Thundering Herd began to pull away. Marshall took a double-digit lead on Chris Thomas’ layup with 3:06 left that held for the rest of the game.

Marshall shot 59 percent (36 of 61) from the field and made 11 of 19 3-pointers, led by Pittman with a career-high eight. Kareem Canty scored 19 points and dished out 10 assists. Thomas had 15 points and Ryan Taylor scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Thundering Herd.

Spruill led the Seahawks with 19 points. Cedrick Williams added 18.

MARSHALL 96, N.C.-WILMINGTON 78

N.C.-WILMINGTON (3-4)

Reybold 0-2 1-2 1, Williams 7-13 4-4 18, Ponder 1-5 0-0 2, Eblen 5-8 0-2 10, Spruill 8-14 3-3 19, Dixon 1-2 0-0 2, Jackson 4-7 3-3 11, Milson 0-3 0-0 0, Hager 3-4 1-2 7, Sherwood 3-8 2-2 8. Totals 32-66 14-18 78.

MARSHALL (3-2)

Pittman 13-21 1-2 35, Taylor 3-5 5-8 11, Sane 1-2 1-3 3, Canty 9-15 0-0 19, Thomas 7-11 0-2 15, Smith 0-2 2-2 2, Boykins 1-1 0-0 3, Goard 1-1 1-2 3, Manning 1-3 3-4 5, Mbao 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-61 13-23 96.

Halftime—Marshall 48-29. 3-Point Goals—N.C.-Wilmington 0-8 (Jackson 0-1, Sherwood 0-1, Hager 0-1, Ponder 0-1, Spruill 0-2, Milson 0-2), Marshall 11-19 (Pittman 8-13, Boykins 1-1, Thomas 1-2, Canty 1-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—N.C.-Wilmington 32 (Williams 7), Marshall 35 (Taylor 10). Assists—N.C.-Wilmington 11 (Eblen 4), Marshall 17 (Canty 10). Total Fouls—N.C.-Wilmington 17, Marshall 14. Technical—Thomas. A—4,718.