Marshall finally wins one
SAN DIEGO — The Marshall Thundering Herd celebrated like never before.
For the first time in six tries during 62 years, the Thundering Herd won an NCAA tournament game.
Jon Elmore scored 27 points and Jarrod West hit a huge 3-pointer with three minutes left to help No. 13 seed Marshall topple fourth-seeded Wichita State 81-75 in the East Region yesterday.
When the buzzer sounded, West raised his arms in the air and joyously ran practically the length of the court before joining his teammates in celebration.
“Long time!” coach Dan D’Antoni said moments later.
Marshall (25-10) also got big shots down the stretch from Ajdin Penava and C.J. Burks.
Wichita State (25-8) got 27 points from Conner Frankamp and seemed to be in control midway through the second half, but the Thundering Herd refused to fade.
West Virginia 85, Murray State 68 — Jevon Carter scored 21 points, had eight assists and six steals, Teddy Allen added 16 points and the No. 5 seed Mountaineers overwhelmed the 12th-seeded Racers in the first round of the East Region.
The Mountaineers (25-10) pulled away in the second half and advanced to the round of 32 for the third time in the past four seasons as four players finished in double figures.
Carter had 13 points in the second half and was the trigger of a second-half surge by the Mountaineers after Murray State had trimmed a 14-point lead down to five.
Terrell Miller led Murray State (26-6) with 27 points, but he was the only Racers player to shoot well. Miller made 8-of-11 shots, but his team hit just 41 percent.
Auburn 62, College of Charleston 58 — Jared Harper made a clutch 3-pointer with 1:17 to go — his only basket of the game — and the Tigers held off the No. 13-seeded Cougars in a Midwest Region thriller to avoid becoming the second No. 4 seed upset at Viejas Arena.
Mustapha Heron scored 16 points for Auburn (26-7).
The biggest shot for the Tigers was Harper’s deep 3 that gave them a 59-56 lead. He finished 1-of-7, including 1-of-4 from behind the arc.
The Cougars (26-8) pulled to 61-58 when Grant Riller made one of two free throws with 20.4 seconds left.