West Virginia vs. Marshall Basketball Preview & How To Watch: Mountaineers Face Herd In Charleston

Game Day Vitals

• West Virginia Mountaineers (8-1, Big 12 0-0, ESPN RPI 52) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (3-6, 0-0 Conference USA, NCAA RPI 229)
• Series Record: WVU leads series 32-11
• Location: Charleston Civic Center (13,000), Charleston, West Virginia
• Vegas Lines: WVU (-20.5) O/U 161.5
  
• Date: Thursday, December 17, 2015, 7 pm ET
• Television: ESPNU
  
• TV Announcers: Roy Philpott and Miles Simon
• Online Streaming: WatchESPN
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• Marshall Thundering Herd (3-6, 0-0 Conference USA, NCAA RPI 229)
• Head Coach - Dan D'Antoni, 2nd year at MU (14-27), career 2nd year (14-27)
  
• Last Result - Defeated NC Central 92-73
• Official Marshall Athletics website

As an adult, I know that it is wrong to make fun of children and the handicapped or to try to make yourself sound smarter than your audience. Since I have to assume that someone in Huntington has figured out how to turn on a computer and somehow found the internet, I will use small words in case they stumble on (that means read) this preview.

When the Mountaineers face the Thundering Herd in the Capital Classic, they will be facing a tremendous (big) challenge since Marshall is riding a three game winning streak against some top notch competition. Although they sit at 3-6 for the season, Marshall's latest victories have come against Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, and Northern Carolina Central (an impressive double directional school). With these powerhouses behind them, the Thundering Herd will look to take down the Mountaineers in Charleston.

Earlier this season, Marshall babysitter, excuse me, Head Coach Dan D'Antoni tried to fire up his troops by saying that the Newberry defense was tougher than WVU's. Unfortunately, this tactic had the opposite effect since the Herd dropped that game 101-89.

While the Mountaineers enter this game 8-1 and ranked #20 (in the NCAA, not in the AAC), they are surely scared of the massive test Marshall poses on the hardwood. To date, WVU is scoring 85.9 points per game while only allowing opponents 59. Marshall on the other hand is scoring 77.7 while giving up 82.9. Additionally, Marshall is turning the ball over at a rate of 13.6 per game while WVU forces 22.7.

For our friends wearing green, those statistics indicate that WVU may be a bit better than Marshall in basketball. However, anything can happen in that barn they call the Civic Center in Charleston, so this should be another fun one.

Prediction: WVU 88 MU 60