Ohhhhhh, what a night at the Civic Center. Where do I start?
— Tirrell Baines worked hard for four long years to get this one. Five offensive boards in this game was a manly accomplishment.
But I’m feeling he hasn’t gotten his due as a master at drawing the charging foul. He anticipates the driver’s path, gets himself planted in plenty of time and doesn’t worry about the contact. And I don’t recall him flopping very much in four years.
That charge he drew on Casey Mitchell with 1:26 left was as big as any. DeAndre Kane then got fouled and hit two at the other end to make it 67-58, allowing the Herd to absorb those silly 3-shot fouls.
— I swear I nearly voted Aundra Williams and his one point as the Herd’s MVP. He played a career-high 23 minutes — he had never played more than 16 against a Division I foe — and helped hold Deniz Kilicli scoreless in the final 28:28. When Kilicli scored four baskets in 21/2 minutes, I thought the Herd was in deep doo-doo.
— I wondered if Damier Pitts would rebound from missing the fall semester. I never dreamed he would do so this well!
— Do not, I repeat do NOT, get worked up about losing most of a 24-point lead. Not that is wasn’t appropriate to get worried while you’re watching it go to single digits, but don’t dwell over it now. You won. That is why you get 24-point leads if you can. The other team gives scholarships (in this case, Big East scholarships), and 24-point leads don’t guarantee a 40-point win.
One way I look at it: Did the trailing team ever have possession with a chance to tie or take the lead? In this case, no. Herd had ’em all the way.
— Do get worked up over this: Marshall’s record in games after beating WVU. I’ll have to add it up again, but I know it’s not good. And next up is Jeff Lebo’s East Carolina team, which just buried UCF in Orlando.
— The Knights are 1-3 in Conference USA. Guess Donnie J. needs to jack up the heat in his arena on everybody.
