Marshall, Ohio Meet for 100th Time Saturday

Ohio (8-5) has won the last two meetings, including last year’s game 70-68 on Nov. 30.  However, Marshall (7-7) won the last meeting in Athens, 65-57 on Dec. 4, 2010.

The series has a long-standing history as the two teams have met 44 times as members of the Mid-American Conference from 1954-69 and 1998-2005. The Bobcats lead the overall series 53-46.

Both teams have lost three of its last four games as the Thundering Herd is coming off a 53-51 loss to Delaware State on Wednesday and the Bobcats last played in a 74-63 loss at Oklahoma last Saturday.

DeAndre Kane leads the Herd in scoring at 15.0 points per game, but the junior guard has missed the last five games due to a right hand injury. Among active players, junior forward Elijah Pittman leads the team with 14.9 point per game. Fellow junior college transfer D.D. Scarver is just behind Pittman with 14.1 points per game.

Marshall ranks 22nd in the NCAA in rebounding with 41.9 per game thanks in large part to Nigel Spikes (9.1 rpg) and Dennis Tinnon (9.0 rpg). The Herd also ranks eighth in the country in offensive rebounds per game with 15.5.

The Bobcats are led by senior guard D.J. Cooper who has 14.3 points and 7.8 assists per game, which ranks fourth in the NCAA. He had 11 points and 11 assists in last season’s meeting with the Herd.

Ohio, who is 8-1 at home this season, averages 18.4 assists per game which ranks sixth in the NCAA.

The game can be heard on the radio throughout the Thundering Herd IMG Sports Network. It can be viewed online for free by going to OhioBobcats.com. Gametracker can be accessed through HerdZone.com. Follow @HerdZone on twitter for scoring updates in every game throughout the season.