Charlotte, NC – Marshall was in town Saturday afternoon for a date against the Niners in a very important Conference USA matchup for both programs. Despite a sluggish 1-8 start to conference play, Marshall has had the Niners’ number as of late. The Herd swept Charlotte last season and had not lost a game in Halton Arena since 2016. Marshall would be without its best player and legitimate NBA prospect, Taevion Kinsey, who sat out the contest due to a foot injury . Meanwhile, Charlotte was looking to get back on the winning side after a disappointing home loss on Thursday night against Western Kentucky.
Charlotte would set the tone in the first half, going inside early and often. Three of Charlotte’s first four field goal attempts were in the paint as the team looked to establish an interior presence against Marshall’s smaller front court. Charlotte’s Jahmir Young would have his way on the floor, scoring 10 of the team’s first 15 points before ultimately finishing the game with a team high 24 points. Marshall did not appear to have an answer for for the Baltimore native as he finished with a stellar first half, notching 18 points including 4-5 from the three point line. On offense, the Herd would struggle to find the rim. The team shot themselves out of the game behind a woeful 30% first half field goal percentage, including a 2-15 shooting performance from beyond the arc before ultimately finishing 5-27 from deep.
The Niners took a 40-22 lead into the break and the avalanche continued during the second half. Charlotte big man Ali Khalifa had himself a night, finishing with a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists. The three-time Conference USA player of the week hit a three pointer with 12 minutes to go, widening the lead to 62-37 and effectively putting the game out of reach. Charlotte continued to keep its foot on the gas throughout the final stretch, leading by as many as 31 with 5:49 to go. The team ended the game shooting 52% from the field and a blazing hot 68% from three.
“I’m happy to be back on the winning side,” said Charlotte head coach Ron Sanchez. “I’m really encouraged by the way they stayed connected together and played for and with one another. That’s the kind of basketball that we had been playing prior to the losses, so hopefully we continue to stay right here.”
Jahmir Young, the career 1,000 point scorer who is averaging a career high in points per game this season, chimed in on the win. “I’m just trying to win by any means neccessary and just lead this team and make sure we come out with that edge and we brought that tonight,” said Young.
With the win, Charlotte improves to 12-9 and gets over .500 in Conference USA as the team moves to 5-4.
QUICK NOTES
Musa Jallow had to be helped back to the locker room Saturday afternoon. Jallow was favoring his right lower extremity after he appeared to land awkwardly following a shot block attempt. Jallow, an Ohio State transfer, arrived to the program this past fall and had two prior surgeries on his right ankle that forced him to miss the entire 2019-2020 season.
Marshall head coach and former NBA assistant Dan D’Antoni would be tossed out of the game with 18 minutes to go after appearing to persistently contest numerous calls by the officials.
Charlotte preferred walk-on Eli Bennett scored his first collegiate point Thursday night. The son of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett played two minutes late in the game, going 1-2 from the free throw line.
