Marshall’s season will continue at least one more game, as the Thundering Herd defeated the visiting IUPUI Jaguars Tuesday night in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, 78-73, in front of 3,725 fans inside the Cam Henderson Center.

“Our MVP, besides Jon, was the crowd, and that lets you know you’ve got a basketball town,” Marshall head coach Dan D’Antoni said. “They support this team and I want to thank them, from the bottom of my heart. I know we had higher aims (than the CIT) to begin the season but for them to stick with us, that’s going to propel us into a really solid basketball program.”

All the buzz entering the contest was focused on one person, and that person etched his name atop the Thundering Herd record books midway through the game. Marshall’s all-time scoring record lasted 31 years before being broken once again. Skip Henderson had the record since 1988 but Thundering Herd senior guard Jon Elmore broke the record with a layup in the second half.

Henderson, who is currently serving a life sentence in a Georgia state prison, reached out to Elmore prior to the game.

“I had talked to (Henderson) or anything,” Elmore said. “I knew he got into some trouble after college but what he did in between those lines representing Marshall on the court was unparalleled. Having him reach out and say congratulations and that he wanted me to break the record, that meant a lot.”

Elmore finished with a double-double, putting up 22 points and 10 rebounds, along with seven assists, with most of his damage coming in the second half. C.J. Burks led the Herd, which is now 20-14, with a game-high 25 points, along with six rebounds. Burks also ascended into the top five in career scoring at Marshall.

“Jon was terrific,” D’Antoni said. “I got a little worried there in the first half there and said, ‘We’re going to have to win for him to break (the scoring record).’ He was trying to do too much. C.J. had a great game, especially early. He was really tough at the beginning,”

Marshall and IUPUI spent most of the first half going back-and-forth, with neither team really having an edge over the other. The Herd went on a 10-0 run that spanned more than three minutes to break open what was a 13-all tie before the Jaguars stormed back. IUPUI even had a chance to take a lead into halftime but Camron Justice’s 3-pointer, which went in the basket, was ruled after a replay review to have still been in his hands when the clock struck zeroes, leaving Marshall with a slim, two-point cushion at the break, 40-38.

After having just five first-half points, Elmore hit four 3-pointers in the first 3:17 of the second half as the Herd started to break open the game. The record-breaking layup, which came with 10:25 left in the second half and gave Elmore 21 for the contest, was accompanied by a foul on the Jaguars’ Jakoby Kemp and, following Elmore’s subsequent made free-throw, extended Marshall’s lead to 12.

“I’m not going to lie, that was the hardest 20 points I’ve ever scored in my life,” Elmore said. “I’ve been blessed to have a lot of great teammates who enjoy each other’s success.”

Burks grabbed an offensive rebound and made a tip-in shot to give the Thundering Herd its largest lead of the game at 70-55 on Marshall’s subsequent offensive possession. IUPUI made a late push and a layup by Justice cut the Herd lead to two but time and possessions ran out on the Jaguars, advancing Marshall to the next round.

Justice led IUPUI with a double-double, posting team-highs with 22 points and 10 rebounds. D.J. McCall added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Elyjah Goss had 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Jaguars, who end their season at 16-17.

Marshall’s next opponent, date and time are yet to be determined, though it is likely to be another home game played in the early portion of next week.