HUNTINGTON - Damier Pitts seems to be on his game now and DeAndre Kane is working his way back to form after his short absence.
Houston coach James Dickey knows that's double trouble as his team prepares to face Marshall's backcourt tandem.
In two Thundering Herd victories over the Cougars last season, Pitts and Kane combined for 87 points. Marshall won 63-62 in Houston, then prevailed 97-87 in the Conference USA tournament first round in El Paso, Texas.
Pitts tied his career high in the latter game with 28 points, adding 10 assists and three steals and going 14-of-18 from the line. Kane had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
When Marshall and Houston meet at 7 tonight at Cam Henderson Center, Dickey doesn't really want a repeat.
"I like [Pitts]. He is tough," Dickey said. "He makes a lot of things happen for them, and they depend on him. Kane hurt us last year in the second half. [Dago] Pena came off the bench and shot it well in the conference tournament. We have great respect for their talent, great respect for Tommy [Herrion, the Marshall coach] and his staff, they have done a good job. And that's a special place to play at home."
After an up-and-down first half of the season extending into January, Pitts has been consistently potent over the last six games. Averaging about 35 minutes, he's shooting close to 50 percent from the floor and is averaging 19.5 points and handing out nearly five assists per game in that span.
Pitts has really cranked it up in the last two games, scoring 47 points. He is 8-of-16 from 3-point range, hitting five last weekend to keep the Herd ahead of Southern Methodist.
His 27-point game 11 days ago in a win over East Carolina was critical, as Kane missed to attend his father's funeral. Pitts seemed effortless in handling that extra responsibility, and that may be the key. It seems the easier he makes things look, the better he plays.
"For whatever reason, whether it was self-induced or something, he was pressing earlier in the season," Herrion said. "Now he's playing at a more comfortable level, minus the [six] turnovers he had against SMU, which came out of nowhere. He's been in control of the game. When he makes shots he's a very hard guy to defend.
"I like the command he's had of our team, overall, and he's defending much better."
Kane wasn't as efficient offensively on his return, scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. But he had eight rebounds and clamped down on SMU's leading scorer, Robert Nyakundi.
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Houston brings out best in MU backcourt
HUNTINGTON - Damier Pitts seems to be on his game now and DeAndre Kane is working his way back to form after his short absence.
Houston coach James Dickey knows that's double trouble as his team prepares to face Marshall's backcourt tandem.
In two Thundering Herd victories over the Cougars last season, Pitts and Kane combined for 87 points. Marshall won 63-62 in Houston, then prevailed 97-87 in the Conference USA tournament first round in El Paso, Texas.
Pitts tied his career high in the latter game with 28 points, adding 10 assists and three steals and going 14-of-18 from the line. Kane had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
When Marshall and Houston meet at 7 tonight at Cam Henderson Center, Dickey doesn't really want a repeat.
"I like [Pitts]. He is tough," Dickey said. "He makes a lot of things happen for them, and they depend on him. Kane hurt us last year in the second half. [Dago] Pena came off the bench and shot it well in the conference tournament. We have great respect for their talent, great respect for Tommy [Herrion, the Marshall coach] and his staff, they have done a good job. And that's a special place to play at home."
After an up-and-down first half of the season extending into January, Pitts has been consistently potent over the last six games. Averaging about 35 minutes, he's shooting close to 50 percent from the floor and is averaging 19.5 points and handing out nearly five assists per game in that span.
Pitts has really cranked it up in the last two games, scoring 47 points. He is 8-of-16 from 3-point range, hitting five last weekend to keep the Herd ahead of Southern Methodist.
His 27-point game 11 days ago in a win over East Carolina was critical, as Kane missed to attend his father's funeral. Pitts seemed effortless in handling that extra responsibility, and that may be the key. It seems the easier he makes things look, the better he plays.
"For whatever reason, whether it was self-induced or something, he was pressing earlier in the season," Herrion said. "Now he's playing at a more comfortable level, minus the [six] turnovers he had against SMU, which came out of nowhere. He's been in control of the game. When he makes shots he's a very hard guy to defend.
"I like the command he's had of our team, overall, and he's defending much better."
Kane wasn't as efficient offensively on his return, scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. But he had eight rebounds and clamped down on SMU's leading scorer, Robert Nyakundi.
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HUNTINGTON - Damier Pitts seems to be on his game now and DeAndre Kane is working his way back to form after his short absence.
Houston coach James Dickey knows that's double trouble as his team prepares to face Marshall's backcourt tandem.
In two Thundering Herd victories over the Cougars last season, Pitts and Kane combined for 87 points. Marshall won 63-62 in Houston, then prevailed 97-87 in the Conference USA tournament first round in El Paso, Texas.
Pitts tied his career high in the latter game with 28 points, adding 10 assists and three steals and going 14-of-18 from the line. Kane had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
When Marshall and Houston meet at 7 tonight at Cam Henderson Center, Dickey doesn't really want a repeat.
"I like [Pitts]. He is tough," Dickey said. "He makes a lot of things happen for them, and they depend on him. Kane hurt us last year in the second half. [Dago] Pena came off the bench and shot it well in the conference tournament. We have great respect for their talent, great respect for Tommy [Herrion, the Marshall coach] and his staff, they have done a good job. And that's a special place to play at home."
After an up-and-down first half of the season extending into January, Pitts has been consistently potent over the last six games. Averaging about 35 minutes, he's shooting close to 50 percent from the floor and is averaging 19.5 points and handing out nearly five assists per game in that span.
Pitts has really cranked it up in the last two games, scoring 47 points. He is 8-of-16 from 3-point range, hitting five last weekend to keep the Herd ahead of Southern Methodist.
His 27-point game 11 days ago in a win over East Carolina was critical, as Kane missed to attend his father's funeral. Pitts seemed effortless in handling that extra responsibility, and that may be the key. It seems the easier he makes things look, the better he plays.
"For whatever reason, whether it was self-induced or something, he was pressing earlier in the season," Herrion said. "Now he's playing at a more comfortable level, minus the [six] turnovers he had against SMU, which came out of nowhere. He's been in control of the game. When he makes shots he's a very hard guy to defend.
"I like the command he's had of our team, overall, and he's defending much better."
Kane wasn't as efficient offensively on his return, scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. But he had eight rebounds and clamped down on SMU's leading scorer, Robert Nyakundi.
"It was good for him to go back to the game setting," Herrion said. "He had some good practices but he had to get back in the ring, so to speak."
Marshall (16-10 overall, 7-5 C-USA) is not expecting an easy time of it against Houston (12-13, 4-8), rich in tradition but youthful in Dickey's second year at the helm. The Cougars have suffered through two four-game losing streaks in league play but are coming off a 73-71 upset of conference co-leader Southern Mississippi.
The Cougars are now loaded with Dickey recruits, with three of them sitting out with season-ending injuries. Three freshmen have started the last two games and one other time this season, something seen just once before in the program's history.
Dickey loves his team's potential but laments the inconsistency.
"I don't think the guys realized how difficult this league is," Dickey said Tuesday. "We tried to tell them that, and after going through it in 12 games, they really understand. It's just a battle every time, but I like our young guys."
Marshall should enjoy a size advantage again, with freshman TaShawn Thomas the tallest starting Cougar at 6-foot-8. But 6-6, 230-pound sophomore Alandise Harris gave Marshall trouble last March, scoring 14 points in 21 minutes in the tournament game.
Jonathan Simmons, who sat out last year while completing his class work in junior college, has erupted in recent games. The 6-6 junior is an inside-outside threat who shoots 53 percent from the floor and 41 percent from 3-point range - possibly the only 50-40 man in Conference USA (he doesn't not have enough attempts for the league's 3-point list).
"He's a really hard guy to guard," Herrion said. "He's an attacking wing, shoots it well and really stretches you out. He's always in attack mode. He gets to the foul line. He plays really, really hard."
BRIEFLY: Marshall has a chance to pull off its first season sweep of C-USA's four Texas-based teams - Houston, SMU, Rice and Texas-El Paso. ... Assuming Shaquille Johnson takes the court for the Herd tonight, he will tie Darryl Merthie (2006-10) atop MU's all-time list for games played. ... Pitts' six-turnover game at SMU aside, the Herd is holding onto the ball much better. In its last four games, the average is 9.3, compared to the season average of 13.1. ... Houston leads the all-time series 5-3.
Contact Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com, or follow him at twitter.com/dougsmock.
Article Preview
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
Houston brings out best in MU backcourt
HUNTINGTON - Damier Pitts seems to be on his game now and DeAndre Kane is working his way back to form after his short absence.
Houston coach James Dickey knows that's double trouble as his team prepares to face Marshall's backcourt tandem.
In two Thundering Herd victories over the Cougars last season, Pitts and Kane combined for 87 points. Marshall won 63-62 in Houston, then prevailed 97-87 in the Conference USA tournament first round in El Paso, Texas.
Pitts tied his career high in the latter game with 28 points, adding 10 assists and three steals and going 14-of-18 from the line. Kane had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
When Marshall and Houston meet at 7 tonight at Cam Henderson Center, Dickey doesn't really want a repeat.
"I like [Pitts]. He is tough," Dickey said. "He makes a lot of things happen for them, and they depend on him. Kane hurt us last year in the second half. [Dago] Pena came off the bench and shot it well in the conference tournament. We have great respect for their talent, great respect for Tommy [Herrion, the Marshall coach] and his staff, they have done a good job. And that's a special place to play at home."
After an up-and-down first half of the season extending into January, Pitts has been consistently potent over the last six games. Averaging about 35 minutes, he's shooting close to 50 percent from the floor and is averaging 19.5 points and handing out nearly five assists per game in that span.
Pitts has really cranked it up in the last two games, scoring 47 points. He is 8-of-16 from 3-point range, hitting five last weekend to keep the Herd ahead of Southern Methodist.
His 27-point game 11 days ago in a win over East Carolina was critical, as Kane missed to attend his father's funeral. Pitts seemed effortless in handling that extra responsibility, and that may be the key. It seems the easier he makes things look, the better he plays.
"For whatever reason, whether it was self-induced or something, he was pressing earlier in the season," Herrion said. "Now he's playing at a more comfortable level, minus the [six] turnovers he had against SMU, which came out of nowhere. He's been in control of the game. When he makes shots he's a very hard guy to defend.
"I like the command he's had of our team, overall, and he's defending much better."
Kane wasn't as efficient offensively on his return, scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. But he had eight rebounds and clamped down on SMU's leading scorer, Robert Nyakundi.
