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Mountaineers, Herd to Play in Charleston Thursday
December 16, 2015 03:54 PM | Men's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia is making the 2 ½-hour trek down Interstate 79 to Charleston for a second time this year to face Marshall in the 2015 Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic Thursday night at the Charleston Civic Center.
The Mountaineers were in Charleston a month ago when they defeated James Madison, 86-73, at the Civic Center on November 16.
This year’s Capital Classic pits the 20th-ranked Mountaineers against an improving Marshall team that is on a three-game winning streak heading into this year’s game.
After beginning the season with six straight losses to Tennessee, Morehead State, James Madison, Ohio, Akron and James Madison, Marshall has rebounded with consecutive victories over Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and, most recently, North Carolina Central on Monday night in Huntington.
“The biggest difference I see in them is the last three games they are starting to make shots,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “When they make shots they can spread you and their bigs bounce it pretty well.”
In the North Carolina Central game, Marshall got 27 points on 10-of-12 shooting from forward Ryan Taylor, a 6-foot-5-inch, 227-pounder from Indianapolis, Indiana. Taylor is second on the team in scoring (16.2 ppg.), second in rebounding (6.8 rpg.) and second in blocks with 10.
James Kelly, a 6-foot-8-inch, 259-pound senior forward from Ann Arbor, Michigan, leads Marshall with averages of 16.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Kelly, who scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Monday night’s win over North Carolina Central, is shooting 50.8 percent from the floor.
Taylor, too, is shooting at better than a 50-percent clip at 59.8 percent.
Marshall is shooting 43.0 percent overall, including just 29 percent from 3, but those figures have improved considerably over the last three games.
“They’ve shot it really well,” said Huggins. “(Austin) Loop has shot it terrific the last three games.”
Stevie Browning, a Fairmont State transfer from Logan, is averaging 12.1 points per game; Loop (10.9 ppg.) and guard C.J. Burks (10.8 ppg.) are also averaging double figures for the Herd.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is now 8-1 following Sunday evening’s 42-point victory over UL Monroe at the Coliseum.
Jevon Carter is coming off a 21-point performance against UL Monroe Sunday night.
Sophomore guard Jevon Carter led five double-digit scorers with 21 points, hitting four-of-nine from 3. West Virginia made a season-high 15 3s against UL Monroe – the second-most for a Bob Huggins-coached Mountaineer team.
WVU forward Devin Williams produced his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds against the Warhawks; Williams leads the team with averages of 17 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
The junior forward is also shooting a team-best 60.4 percent from the floor.
West Virginia’s other double-figure scorers include sophomore guard Daxter Miles Jr. (12.8 ppg.), Carter (12.4 ppg.) and senior guard Jaysean Paige (10.4 ppg.).
The Mountaineers continue to lead the country in steals, 3-point field goal defense, forced turnovers and offensive rebounds per game. West Virginia is forcing its opponents to turn the ball over on 30 percent of their possessions this season.
“We get better and then we kind of level off and then we get better,” said Huggins. “I think we’re getting more solid defensively. (Sunday) we didn’t give up as many straight-line drives.”
Thursday night’s Capital Classic will be the 44th meeting against Marshall in a series that began in 1929. The Mountaineers are 19-5 against the Herd in games played in Charleston and they have won eight of their last nine, although 14 of the last 17 have been decided by 10 points or less, including two overtime games.
A crowd in excess of 10,000 is expected for Thursday night’s game. Tickets are still on sale and can be purchased in advance by calling the Charleston Civic Center box office at 1-304-345-1500 or by walking up to the Civic Center box office on game day.
The Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG’s pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m. leading into regular game coverage with Tony Caridi and Jay Jacobs at 6:30 p.m. on affiliates throughout the state and online via leanStream and the mobile app TuneIn.
ESPNU is televising the game nationally.
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