FRISCO, Texas — After 31 years of anticipation, the Marshall Thundering Herd men’s basketball team earned a bid to the ‘Big Dance’—the NCAA Tournament—Saturday night after defeating the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at the Ford Center at the Star. The Herd’s down to the wire, 67-66 victory featured a 27-point explosion from junior guard Jon Elmore, who was honored as the Conference USA Tournament MVP.
“I’m happy,” Marshall head coach Dan D’Antoni said. “I’m happy for these kids, I’m happy for the school. It’s been a long time coming. When I played (Marshall basketball), it was on a high level and Jon (Elmore) has taken it even higher than that—and all the guys that play with him.