MIAMI BASKETBALL

Miami can't blink for tough non-conference matchup

There are conference games and non-conference games.
There are home games and road games.

Miami will put its 23-game winning streak on the line Saturday, stepping out of MAC play to face a Sunbelt Conference foe. That opponent is Marshall ... on the road!!!

For long-time Miami fans, a road game in Huntington can send chills down the spine. 

Although Miami . . . 

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. . . dominated the Thundering Herd for many years in football, that ended in 1998. Since then, the RedHawks have defeated Marshall just once (2003) -- and that was in Oxford. Some of the loses in Huntington were particularly contentious -- and even controversial. 

Of course, the teams met infrequently after Marshall left the MAC, and the only two basketball meetings for the past two decades were a home-and-away series covering 2022-2024. Miaim won in Oxford 95-69 in November of 2022. Marshall prevailed 79-74 in a December 2023 game in Huntington. 

In short, Huntington can be a tough place to play.

So what do the 2025-26 Thundering Herd look like on paper?

•  Head coach Cornelius Jackson is in his second season at the helm. He guided Marshall to a 20-13 record (12-6 SBC) last year. 

•  The Herd was ranked sixth in a Sun Belt Conference preseason poll, but is currently tid for third -- 1.5 games behind conference leader Troy.  

•  Marshall owns a 15-8 record overall and is 7-4 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Herd has won four of its last five outings, including victories over Arkansas State (70-61) and Southern Miss (81-77) in the last two games. 

•  Marshall did not play last weekend. 

•  The Thundering Herd rank sixth among SBC teams in scoring (80.2 ppg) and eighth in scoring defense (74.2 ppg). They are third in scoring margin (6.0).

•  The Herd is first (SBC) in 3-point field goals made (10.1 per game) and second in 3-point goals percentage (36.7%). 

•  Forward Wyatt Fricks leads Marshall in scoring ((14.6 ppg) and is second among SBC shooters in field goal percentage (.54.7%). He averages a team-high 5.2 rebounds per contest. 
•  Jalen Speer averaging 14.3 ppg. He tops the league in assists per game (5.6), is second in assist/turnover ratio. (2.3) and third in 3-ploint goals per game (2.7). 
•  Guard Noah Otshudi averages 14.1 ppg. 

MIAMI NOTES
•   Miami ranks among the top of the nation in numerous statistical categories heading into this game, which includes being first in the country in effective field goal percentage (0.626), first in field goal percentage (53.6), first in scoring offense (92.8), eighth in three-point percentage (39.7), eighth in scoring margin (18.5), 17th in threes per game (10.9), 31st in defensive rebounds per game (27.43), 35th in free throw percentage (76.8), 36th in assist/turnover ratio (1.58), 39th in assists per game (17.2) and 62nd in bench points per game (28.17).