HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Junior guard Jon Elmore made Herd history when he passed Hal Greer on Marshall’s all-time scoring list, en route the Marshall men’s basketball team’s 91-71 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels Friday night at the Cam Henderson Center.
With the win, Marshall finished its non-conference slate with a record of 9-4. The 9-4 mark is the best start for the Dan D’Antoni era. Eastern Kentucky fell to 6-7. The Herd remained perfect at home, and is now 8-0 this season in the Cam Henderson Center.
Elmore led the team in scoring for the ninth time this season with 26 points. He passed the legendary Hal Greer (1955-58) in career points for Marshall to move into 21st all-time with 1,380 points. Elmore also passed LaVerne Evans (1980-84) in career free-throws made to move into sixth all-time. He had four on the night to bring him to a total of 393.
Junior guard C.J. Burks added 25 points with a season-high four made three-pointers. Junior Ajdin Penava recorded his eighth double-double of the season as he added 13 points and 10 rebounds. He also finished with career-highs in nine blocks and seven assists. Junior guard Rondale Watson scored a career-high 12 points in his home debut for Marshall.
The Herd began the contest on an 8-0 run with a floater from Burks and a pair of three-pointers from Penava and Elmore. At the 10 minute mark, the Herd held a 10-point advantage, 24-14. Marshall would hold as much as a 21-point lead at 44-23 with 2:35 remaining. Marshall led at the half 48-32.
Foul trouble plagued the Colonels in the second half, as Eastern Kentucky reached seven team fouls at the 14:21 mark in the half. The Herd went on a 16-10 run during that span to extend its lead to 22 points. The Herd would never let its lead fall below 20 the rest of the way.
Marshall shot a season best field goal percentage of 61.8 percent (34-of-55) and tied a season-best three-point field goal percentage of 44 percent (11-of-25). The Herd held the Colonels below its season averages in field goals and in three-point field goals.
The 20-point win for Marshall was its largest margin of victory since a 22-point win over Akron on Dec. 2.