Herd opens up Sun Belt play with win over Louisiana

HUNTINGTON – The Marshall University Men’s Basketball team (6-8, 1-0 Sun Belt) opened Sun Belt Conference play with a 14-point win, 75-61, over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (7-6, 0-1 Sun Belt) Saturday afternoon in the Cam Henderson Center. 

“I was proud of them. We were 5-8 and a program that won 24 games last year. You could have easily put your head down,” Herd men’s basketball head coach Dan D’Antoni said after 170th win of his collegiate coaching career. “These kids didn’t.” 

Marshall led from the start after beginning the game on a 17-4 run in the first seven minutes of the game. A trio of free throws by Kamdyn Curfman with 6:16 left in the game, extended the Green and White’s lead to a game-high 18 points, 64-46. 

With five double-figure scorers, Nate Martin led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. The junior made seven of his 13 attempts from the field and made both of his shots from the free-throw line. 

Obinna Anochili-Killen added 15 as Curfman contributed 13 and a game-high four assists. Wyatt Fricks and Kevon Voyles each had 10 points in the victory. 

Game Notes 

The Herd is now 7-3 in conference openers under D’Antoni. 

Jacob Conner tied his career-high in steals with four, doing it for the fourth time in his career. 

Anochili-Killen has tallied 10 or more points in 10 of his 11 games this season, while Curfman has reached double-digit scoring in his last eight games. 

UP NEXT 

Marshall hits the road for a matchup at ULM on Wednesday in Monroe, Louisiana.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (7-6)

Charles 4-11 2-4 11, Julien 2-12 7-7 11, Kitenge 3-8 2-2 8, Fulks 1-5 2-2 4, Garnett 1-5 0-2 2, Butler 4-10 2-3 11, Hardy 3-6 1-1 9, Thomas 1-3 0-0 3, Ratliff 1-1 0-0 2, Fields 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-61 16-21 61.

MARSHALL (6-8)

Anochili-Killen 4-10 5-8 15, Martin 7-13 2-2 16, Curfman 3-15 6-7 13, Voyles 3-6 2-2 10, Conner 2-3 1-2 6, Fricks 3-7 4-4 10, Nutter 1-1 0-0 2, Pruett 1-3 0-0 3, Miladinovic 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-58 20-25 75.

Halftime–Marshall 39-25. 3-Point Goals–Louisiana-Lafayette 5-22 (Hardy 2-5, Thomas 1-1, Butler 1-4, Charles 1-5, Garnett 0-3, Julien 0-4), Marshall 7-20 (Voyles 2-2, Anochili-Killen 2-3, Conner 1-2, Pruett 1-3, Curfman 1-7, Fricks 0-3). Rebounds–Louisiana-Lafayette 31 (Charles 13), Marshall 36 (Martin 10). Assists–Louisiana-Lafayette 6 (Fulks 2), Marshall 17 (Curfman 4). Total Fouls–Louisiana-Lafayette 19, Marshall 17. A–4,248 (9,048).