2018–19 Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team

The 2018–19 Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team represented Marshall University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Thundering Herd, led by fifth-year head coach Dan D'Antoni, played their home games at the Cam Henderson Center as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 23–14, 11–7 in C-USA play to finish in sixth place. They defeated Rice before losing to Southern Miss in the quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated IUPUI, Presbyterian, Hampton and Green Bay to become CIT champions.

2018–19 Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball
Jim Phelan Classic champions
CIT, Champions
Conference	Conference USA
Record	23–14 (11–7 C-USA)
Head coach	Dan D'Antoni (5th season)
Assistant coaches	Mark Cline Scott Rigot Cornelius Jackson
Home arena	Cam Henderson Center
Seasons ← 2017–18 2019–20 →

2018–19 Conference USA men's basketball standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Old Dominion †	13	–	5		.722			26	–	9		.743
Western Kentucky	11	–	7		.611			20	–	14		.588
Southern Miss	11	–	7		.611			20	–	13		.606
UTSA	11	–	7		.611			17	–	15		.531
UAB	10	–	8		.556			20	–	15		.571
Marshall	11	–	7		.611			23	–	14		.622
FIU	10	–	8		.556			20	–	13		.606
Louisiana Tech	9	–	9		.500			20	–	13		.606
Florida Atlantic	8	–	10		.444			17	–	16		.515
North Texas	8	–	10		.444			21	–	12		.636
Rice	8	–	10		.444			13	–	19		.406
Middle Tennessee	8	–	10		.444			11	–	21		.344
Charlotte	5	–	13		.278			8	–	21		.276
UTEP	3	–	15		.167			8	–	21		.276
† 2019 C-USA Tournament winner

Previous season

The Thundering Herd finished the 2017–18 season 25–11, 12–6 in C-USA play to finish in fourth place. They defeated UTSA, Southern Miss, and Western Kentucky to become champions of the C-USA tournament. They received C-USA's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where, as a No. 13 seed, they upset No. 4 seed Wichita State 81–75 in the first round before losing to No. 5 seed and rival West Virginia in the second round.

Offseason

Departures

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Notes
Phil Bledsoe	32	G/F	6'6"	220	Sophomore	Wheeling, West Virginia	Transferred to Glenville State
Ot Elmore	12	G	6'2"	197	RS Senior	Charleston, West Virginia	Graduated
Will Fenton	24	G	6'6"	205	Freshman	Fayetteville, West Virginia	Walk-on; did not return
Dani Koljanin	1	F	6'8"	220	Junior	Pula, Croatia	Transferred to Little Rock
Milan Mijović	50	F	6'9"	255	Senior	Belgrade, Serbia	Graduated
Ajdin Penava	11	F	6'9"	220	Junior	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Declared for 2018 NBA draft^[1]
Marcus Reed	5	G	6'0"	175	Senior	Charleston, West Virginia	Graduated
Christian Villers	4	G	6'3"	180	Freshman	Ashland, Kentucky	Walk-on; did not return

Incoming transfers

Name	Number	Pos.	Height	Weight	Year	Hometown	Previous School
Ante Šustić	12	F	6'10"	230	Junior	Split, Croatia	Junior college transferred from Highland Community College
Mikel Beyers	31	F	6'8"	215	Sophomore	Houston, Texas	Junior college transferred from Mesa Community College

2018 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Jeremy Dillon SG	Matewan, West Virginia	Mingo Central High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	198 lb (90 kg)	Sep 14, 2016
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Cameron Brooks-Harris SF	Zanesville, Ohio	Zanesville High School	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	Oct 13, 2017
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Taevion Kinsey SG	Columbus, Ohio	Eastmoor Academy	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	160 lb (73 kg)	Apr 18, 2018
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: NR   Rivals: NR  ESPN: NR
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Marshall Basketball Commitment List". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018. "2018 Marshall Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018. "2018 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.

Roster

2018–19 Marshall Thundering Herd men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown F 0 Christian Thieneman 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) RS Jr Trinity Louisville, Kentucky G 1 Taevion Kinsey 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 177 lb (80 kg) Fr Eastmoor Columbus, Ohio F 2 Iran Bennett 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 350 lb (159 kg) RS Fr Hargrave Durham, North Carolina F 3 Jannson Williams 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) RS So Newnan Newnan, Georgia G 4 DeAundra Murphy (W) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 169 lb (77 kg) Fr St. Joe Huntington, West Virginia G/F 5 Jeremy Dillon   6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 198 lb (90 kg) Fr Mingo Central Mingo, West Virginia G 11 Luke Thomas (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 176 lb (80 kg) Fr Fairland Proctorville, Ohio F 12 Ante Šustić 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Jr Highland CC Split, Croatia G 13 Jarrod West 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Notre Dame HS Clarksburg, West Virginia G 14 C.J. Burks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) RS Sr Hedgesville Martinsburg, West Virginia F 21 Darius George 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Robert E. Lee Staunton, Virginia G 23 Rondale Watson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 187 lb (85 kg) RS Sr Wake Forest Lewisburg, West Virginia F 24 Cam Brooks-Harris   6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Zanesville Zanesville, Ohio G 25 Wilhelm von Arndt (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr   Stockholm, Sweden F 31 Mikel Beyers 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Mesa CC Houston, Texas G 33 Jon Elmore 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 187 lb (85 kg) Sr VMI Charleston, West Virginia	Head coach Dan D'Antoni (Marshall) Assistant coach(es) Mark Cline (Wake Forest) Scott Rigot (Buffalo) Cornelius Jackson (Marshall) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on   Injured   Current redshirt Roster Last update: 09/27/2018

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank^#	Opponent^#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
Oct 28, 2018* 4:00 pm		Glenville State	W 113–108		25 – Burks	8 – Elmore	9 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (5,734) Huntington, WV
Nov 1, 2018* 7:00 pm		West Virginia Wesleyan	W 83–65		10 – Tied	7 – Brooks-Harris	7 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (5,721) Huntington, WV
Non-Conference Regular season
Nov 7, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN+		at Eastern Kentucky	W 105–77	1–0	30 – Burks	10 – Watson	6 – Elmore	McBrayer Arena (5,189) Richmond, KY
Nov 11, 2018* 2:30 pm, ESPN+		Hofstra	W 76–72	2–0	30 – Elmore	8 – Elmore	6 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (7,854) Huntington, WV
Nov 14, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN+		Mount St. Mary's	W 98–75	3–0	24 – Elmore	8 – Watson	10 – Watson	Cam Henderson Center (6,050) Huntington, WV
Nov 19, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN+		North Carolina A&T	W 95–71	4–0	18 – Elmore	7 – Watson	5 – Tied	Cam Henderson Center (6,162) Huntington, WV
Nov 23, 2018* 6:00 pm, BTN		at Maryland	L 67–104	4–1	21 – Williams	5 – Williams	3 – Tied	Xfinity Center (11,711) College Park, MD
Nov 28, 2018* 7:00 pm, WVAH 11.2		William & Mary	W 84–64	5–1	26 – Elmore	7 – Watson	5 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (6,187) Huntington, WV
Dec 1, 2018* 3:30 pm, ESPN+		at Ohio	L 84–101	5–2	26 – Elmore	4 –  5 Tied	5 – Elmore	Convocation Center (6,301) Athens, OH
Dec 5, 2018* 7:00 pm, ATTSNP		at Duquesne	L 82–93	5–3	26 – Burks	7 – George	5 – Burks	Palumbo Center (1,689) Pittsburgh, PA
Dec 8, 2018* 2:30 pm, WVAH 11.2		Toledo	L 74–75 ^OT	5–4	21 – Elmore	10 – Watson	5 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (6,232) Huntington, WV
Dec 10, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN+		Morehead State	W 76–64	6–4	27 – Elmore	8 – Williams	4 – 3 Tied	Cam Henderson Center (6,253) Huntington, WV
Dec 15, 2018* 2:00 pm, ESPN+		at Akron	W 75–74	7–4	19 – Elmore	8 – Elmore	6 – Elmore	James A. Rhodes Arena (2,748) Akron, OH
Dec 22, 2018* 2:00 pm, SECN+		at Texas A&M	L 68–92	7–5	19 – Watson	8 – Williams	4 – Elmore	Reed Arena (7,894) College Station, TX
Dec 31, 2018* 1:00 pm, ACCRSN		at No. 4 Virginia	L 64–100	7–6	14 – Elmore	5 – Beyers	3 – Elmore	John Paul Jones Arena (14,623) Charlottesville, VA
Conference USA regular season
Jan 3, 2019 7:00 pm, Stadium		at Old Dominion	W 70–67	8–6 (1–0)	20 – Elmore	7 – Kinsey	10 – Elmore	Ted Constant Convocation Center (6,153) Norfolk, VA
Jan 5, 2019 4:00 pm, ESPN+		at Charlotte	W 85–84	9–6 (2–0)	25 – Burks	6 – Williams	5 – Elmore	Dale F. Halton Arena (4,014) Charlotte, NC
Jan 12, 2019 7:00 pm, Facebook		Western Kentucky	W 70–69	10–6 (3–0)	23 – Kinsey	7 – Kinsey	5 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (7,687) Huntington, WV
Jan 17, 2019 7:00 pm, ESPN+		Florida Atlantic	W 96–84	11–6 (4–0)	30 – Burks	6 – Kinsey	7 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (6,196) Huntington, WV
Jan 19, 2019 7:00 pm, ESPN+		FIU	W 105–97	12–6 (5–0)	30 – Burks	9 – Kinsey	6 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (7,330) Huntington, WV
Jan 21, 2019 9:00 pm, CBSSN		at Western Kentucky	L 59–68	12–7 (5–1)	17 – Elmore	8 – Burks	4 – Kinsey	E. A. Diddle Arena (6,369) Bowling Green, KY
Jan 24, 2019 9:00 pm, CBSSN		at Louisiana Tech	L 80–89 ^OT	12–8 (5–2)	29 – Burks	12 – Burks	8 – Elmore	Thomas Assembly Center (3,745) Ruston, LA
Jan 26, 2019 5:00 pm, Stadium		at Southern Miss	L 51–101	12–9 (5–3)	11 – Tied	4 – Tied	2 – Elmore	Reed Green Coliseum (3,316) Hattiesburg, MS
Jan 31, 2019 7:30 pm, beIN		UTEP	W 91–86	13–9 (6–3)	44 – Elmore	7 – Elmore	5 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (5,765) Huntington, WV
Feb 2, 2019 7:00 pm, Facebook		UTSA	L 106–116 ^OT	13–10 (6–4)	31 – Burks	7 – West	8 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (7,182) Huntington, WV
Feb 7, 2019 8:00 pm, beIN		at North Texas	L 51–78	13–11 (6–5)	18 – Kinsey	6 – Williams	2 – Burks	The Super Pit (3,484) Denton, TX
Feb 9, 2019 8:00 pm, ESPN+		at Rice	L 69–74	13–12 (6–6)	24 – Burks	12 – Williams	7 – Elmore	Tudor Fieldhouse (2,910) Houston, TX
Feb 14, 2019 8:00 pm, CBSSN		UAB	L 68–77	13–13 (6–7)	20 – Elmore	8 – Elmore	5 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (5,521) Huntington, WV
Feb 16, 2019 2:00 pm, Facebook		Middle Tennessee	W 98–93	14–13 (7–7)	20 – Burks	7 – George	3 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (6,927) Huntington, WV
Feb 28, 2019 7:30 pm, CUSA-TV		at Louisiana Tech	W 90–79	15–13 (8–7)	34 – Elmore	10 – Williams	7 – Elmore	Thomas Assembly Center (3,217) Ruston, LA
Mar 3, 2019 4:00 pm, Stadium		at North Texas	W 85–82	16–13 (9–7)	21 – Burks	6 – Elmore	4 – Burks	The Super Pit (3,108) Denton, TX
Mar 6, 2019 7:00 pm, ESPN+		FIU	W 94–78	17–13 (10–7)	21 – Burks	8 – 3 Tied	7 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (5,822) Huntington, WV
Mar 9, 2019 12:00 pm, Stadium		Florida Atlantic	W 76–61	18–13 (11–7)	17 – West	10 – Elmore	4 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (7,097) Huntington, WV
Conference USA tournament
Mar 13, 2019 10:00 pm, ESPN+	(6)	vs. (11) Rice First round	W 82–65	19–13	32 – Elmore	6 – Elmore	6 – Elmore	Ford Center at The Star (2,704) Frisco, TX
Mar 14, 2019 10:00 pm, Facebook	(6)	vs. (3) Southern Miss Quarterfinals	L 73–82	19–14	22 – Williams	8 – Elmore	11 – Elmore	Ford Center at The Star (4,024) Frisco, TX
CollegeInsider.com Postseason tournament
Mar 19, 2019* 7:00 pm		IUPUI First round – Jim Phelan Classic	W 78–73	20–14	25 – Burks	10 – Elmore	7 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (3,725) Huntington, WV
Mar 26, 2019* 7:00 pm		Presbyterian Quarterfinals	W 83–66	21–14	20 – Burks	7 – Tied	8 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (3,383) Huntington, WV
Apr 2, 2019* 7:00 pm		Hampton Semifinals	W 80–78	22–14	28 – Elmore	9 – Tied	5 – Elmore	Cam Henderson Center (4,122) Huntington, WV
Apr 4, 2019* 7:00 pm, CBSSN		Green Bay Championship	W 90–70	23–14	28 – Burks	11 – Kinsey	6 – Burks	Cam Henderson Center (5,748) Huntington, WV
*Non-conference game. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time.

^[2][3]

References

1. "Penava Not Returning to Marshall". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
2. "Herd Men's Hoops Announced 2018-19 Non-Conference Schedule". www.herdzone.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
3. "Herd Men's Hoops Releases Conference Schedule". www.herdzone.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.