Herd to thunder at Jadwin

The men's basketball team hasn't had anything handed to it on a silver platter this year — its last five contests have been decided by an average of 3.6 points, and half of its victories have come by a margin of two points or fewer. Things won't be getting any easier for Princeton (6-3 overall), as this weekend's showdown with Marshall has the makings of one of the Tigers' grittiest challenges to date.

Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. tomorrow at Jadwin Gym.

The Marshall Thundering Herd (0-1 Conference USA, 3-6 overall) plays in a competitive conference that fields a number of strong teams, including Memphis and Alabama-Birmingham.

The Herd is led by sophomore powerhouse guard Markel Humphrey, who is currently averaging a solid 14.7 points per game. Humphrey, who made the Conference USA All-Freshman team last year, has also established a dominant inside presence en route to leading Marshall in rebounds, with 5.7 boards per game. His powerful drives through the lane have made him a potent offensive threat, sure to test the Tigers' interior defense.

Swingman Travis Aikens has also made major contributions to the Marshall scoring front, putting up 14.4 ppg. Last week, he was the team leader in both the points and rebounds — until Humphrey passed him in Wednesday's game. Aikens' veteran leadership has been vital in guiding the Herd's offense to narrow victories over UNC-Greensborough and Morehead State.

Princeton, however, has its own young and talented backcourt. Freshman guards Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn have put on solid performances this year — Gunn was last week's Ivy League Rookie of the Week — and are putting up averages of 5.3 and 5.4 ppg, respectively. The two former high school teammates are putting in the majority of minutes for the Tigers at the one and two positions and have really come together to form a potent backcourt. Their defense will have to be consistent and vigilant if Princeton hopes to contain the Humphrey attack.

The real battle of this weekend's contest may actually be at the low post, however, as both teams can boast a corps of talented forwards and centers. The rebound differential has been a telling statistic for the Tigers this year, as most of their losses have been accompanied by lopsided tallies in the boards column. Offensive rebounds in particular have been a point of emphasis for the Orange and Black, as too many second-shot opportunities ultimately decide the kind of tight games Princeton has been playing.

Marshall's inside attack is led by junior forward Jean Francois Bro Grebe, who stands at six feet, nine inches tall. He is aided by the efforts of Aikens, and together they make for a strong inside post. Freshman center Robbie Jackson, a seven-footer, has also stepped in frequently this year to pull down some valuable rebounds.

While Princeton may be slightly outmatched in terms of size, the Tiger centers and forwards have proven they can compete as well. Junior forward Kyle Koncz has led the Princeton on numerous occasions and commands respect with his aggressive defense.

"We have to make sure that we keep our defense in tight," Koncz said. "We are going to have to make sure that we box out and focus on our defensive rebounding."

The Princeton defense has proven to be highly effective so far this year, as the team is only allowing an average of 51.8 ppg. The Tigers even kept VMI, who averages a total of 102.3 ppg, to a mere 68 points in a game that Princeton won by five.

The Herd is coming off a solid victory over Wright State, a game in which Humphrey posted a career-high 24 points. They will be looking to carry this momentum into their game with the Tigers in preparation for a difficult December and January schedule.

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The Tigers, on the other hand, are coming off a loss at the hands of Rutgers, in which the Scarlet Knights were nearly perfect from the field. A win in Jadwin would end the year with a winning record at home and would provide the Tigers with increased resolve as they enter the final stages of their non-conference schedule.

Though Marshall will be Princeton's last home opponent of the year, the Tigers hit the road over Christmas break to take on South Carolina on Dec. 20 and Iona on Dec. 30. Conference play begins on Jan. 12 with the Tigers taking on Columbia in New York City.