Halftime Report

Marshall has overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. They have jumped out to a quick 40-36 lead against Western Kentucky.

Marshall came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

Marshall Thundering Herd @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Current Records: Marshall 4-2, Western Kentucky 3-3

How To Watch

What to Know

Western Kentucky is 8-2 against Marshall since January of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will host the Marshall Thundering Herd at 8:00 p.m. ET at E.A. Diddle Arena. The timing is sure in the Hilltoppers' favor as the squad sits on three straight wins at home while the Thundering Herd have been banged up by eight consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.

Western Kentucky is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Kentucky just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Tuesday. They found themselves the reluctant recipients of an 87-68 punch to the gut against the Wildcats. The Hilltoppers were surely aware of their disadvantage in the point spread, but the foreknowledge did nothing to prevent the result.

Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Babacar Faye, who went 5 for 7 en route to 16 points plus six rebounds and two steals. What's more, he also posted a 71.4% field goal percentage, which is the highest he's posted since back in February. Julius Thedford was another key player, scoring 18 points along with five rebounds.

Western Kentucky struggled to work together and finished the game with only seven assists. That's the fewest assists they've posted since back in November of 2023.

Meanwhile, after a disappointing 45 points in their last game, Marshall made sure to put some points up on the board against SC State on Wednesday. Marshall blew past SC State, posting an 82-53 win. The Thundering Herd have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three matches by 21 points or more this season.

Western Kentucky's loss dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Marshall, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 4-2 record this season.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Western Kentucky has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 41 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Marshall struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.5. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Looking ahead, Western Kentucky is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by seven points. For those looking to play the spread, keep Western Kentucky's opponent in mind: they have a solid 5-1 record against the spread vs Marshall over their last six matchups.

Odds

Western Kentucky is a solid 7-point favorite against Marshall, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Hilltoppers as a 6.5-point favorite.


The over/under is 153 points.

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Series History

Western Kentucky has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Marshall.

  • Mar 05, 2022 - Western Kentucky 78 vs. Marshall 69
  • Mar 02, 2022 - Western Kentucky 86 vs. Marshall 72
  • Jan 17, 2021 - Western Kentucky 69 vs. Marshall 67
  • Jan 15, 2021 - Western Kentucky 81 vs. Marshall 73
  • Jan 25, 2020 - Western Kentucky 91 vs. Marshall 84
  • Jan 22, 2020 - Western Kentucky 64 vs. Marshall 60
  • Jan 21, 2019 - Western Kentucky 68 vs. Marshall 59
  • Jan 12, 2019 - Marshall 70 vs. Western Kentucky 69
  • Mar 10, 2018 - Marshall 67 vs. Western Kentucky 66
  • Jan 27, 2018 - Western Kentucky 85 vs. Marshall 74