The Marshall University men’s basketball team will take on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte 7 p.m. Thursday in the Cam Henderson Center seeking to avenge its loss to the 49ers earlier this season.
Charlotte handed Marshall (13-12, 9-3) its first conference loss of the season after a 5-0 in the teams’ Jan. 21 meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It was a tough loss,” freshman forward Alexander Dozic said, “but we are a better team now and that’s why we can beat Charlotte.”
The key to defeating the 49ers this around will be the Marshall defense. Marshall has given up 90-plus points in each of its last three games, and the Herd allowed Charlotte to exceed triple digits in the first meeting. The 105 scored by the 49ers are the second most points Marshall has allowed in a game this season.
“(Our) offense is good every game, we just need to improve our defense,” Dozic said. “If we play defense at a really good level, I don’t think there is anyone who can beat us in this conference.”
Dozic’s assessment of the team’s offense is backed up by the statistics. Marshall has only failed to reach 90 points in three of its 12 conference games.
“Everybody is moving the ball well, shooting the ball well and playing with high energy on the offensive end,” sophomore guard Brett Bowling said.
Bowling said if the Herd can achieve the same intensity and energy on the defensive end, and continue its offensive production, it should come away with the victory Thursday.
“We will need to execute on offense and play as hard as we can on defense,” Bowling said.
The Charlotte matchup will be the first of a two-game home stand for the Herd as the team hosts Old Dominion University Saturday.
Christian Hisman can be contacted at [email protected].