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TROY, Ala. - Marshall men’s basketball turned the ball over 22 times, but out-rebounded the Troy Trojans 46-24 to escape Alabama with a three-point win, 78-75. The win in Alabama gave MU a two-game sweep of the Trojans this season, as Marshall beat Troy in Huntington, 99-70, back on Dec. 12.

Marshall improves to 10-2, matching the best start in a decade when the Greg White coached Herd started the 1999-2000 season with a similar mark. The Herd also improved to 2-2 on the road.

Freshman center Hassan Whiteside and senior forward Tyler Wilkerson both recorded double-doubles on the night, and the pair actually out-rebounded the entire Trojan team by themselves, 26-24.

Whiteside recorded his sixth double dip of the year with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while Wilkerson picked up the second of the year, as well as his 13^th of his career. Wilkerson has also scored in double figures, with 15 points and ten rebounds, in 11 straight games since opening the season with 20 rebounds and eight points against N.C. A&T.

Tyler Wilkerson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, the 13th double-double of his career, in the Herd's win at Troy, 78-75 - Herd Insider file photo by Greg Perry.

The Herd found itself down 24-10 with 12 minutes left in the first half, but out-scored the Trojans 31-15 down the stretch to go to the locker room tied at 41-41.

In the second half, Troy again got out to as much as a six-point lead but Marshall battled back time after time in a game that saw 13 lead changes and five ties.

“We are not going to win many games where we turn it over 22 times, but last year we probably don’t come back to win the game,” said head coach Donnie Jones of the Herd. “It’s a good learning experience for the team, and we didn’t have to lose the game to get the lesson of showing up every night.”

Jones was concerned at the Herd’s afternoon shoot-around about the team’s focus and hustle.

“You always worry coming off a break,” said Jones of his team not playing for six days over a three-day break for Christmas that saw many of the team members leaving for home right after the loss to No. 9 North Carolina on Dec. 22.

“We were still a little down about the loss to Carolina, feeling sorry for ourselves. But rebounding was definitely a key to getting this win, plus Troy missing those free throws down the stretch.”

The player missing for Troy was center Yamene Coleman. With the Herd down 75-74 with 1:06 to play, Wilkerson went hard against Coleman, who missed the front end of a one-and-one with :33 on the clock.

Whiteside got the rebound and Shaquille Johnson hit a lay-up on the other end to give MU the lead, 76-75, with 15.5 seconds to play.

Troy worked the ball up the court and went to Coleman, who was fouled trying to hit the go-ahead basket.

“We told the team to foul Coleman, rather than let him shoot,” said Jones of the Troy player. Coleman came into the game hitting only 55 percent from the line and promptly missed both free throws with Wilkerson getting the rebound.

Wilkerson was fouled with 2.3 seconds to play by TU’s Antywan Jones, but it was only the sixth team foul on Troy and MU had to take the ball out of bounds.

Jones inserted senior Chris Lutz into the game, the senior was fouled with :01.7 left in the game. Lutz hit both shots of the one-plus-one and MU was up 78-75.

Michael Vogler’s long three attempt at the buzzer hit the top of the backboard and Marshall had handed Troy its first home loss in four games at Trojan Arena.

Lutz finished with ten points, hitting 3-of-7 from the floor and 2-for-4 from three. Damier Pitts had 11 points and was 3-of-6 from behind the arc.

Jones led the Trojans with 20 points, making 7-of-10 shots and 3-of-6 from three. Richard Delk shot a similar percentage, making 7-of-11 and 3-of-6 while Coleman had 13 points, with 6-of-9 shooting, but was just 1-of-5 from the line.

Coleman led Troy with six rebounds while Vogler had nine points and eight assists.

Marshall, who shot 51 percent in Huntington against Troy, shot just a bit less at 49 percent at Troy (31-of-63). Troy also shot well, making 28-of-58 (48.3 percent) and 8-of-18 from three (44 percent).

Marshall will host St. Bonaventure of the Atlantic-10 this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Cam Henderson Center, before meeting Southern Miss on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. to open Conference USA play in Huntington.

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