RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — C.J. Burks scored 30 points and Jon Elmore added 20 with four rebounds and six assists and Marshall beat Eastern Kentucky 105-77 in a season opener Wednesday night.
Burks was 12 of 15 from the field for the Thundering Herd and Elmore was 9 of 13 from the free throw line. Freshman Taevion Kinsey scored 14 points off the bench and Jannson Williams chipped in 11 points with eight boards.
Marshall shot 50 percent from the field compared to 32.5 percent for Eastern Kentucky.
Elmore sank a layup seven minutes in to spark a 16-2 run, including 3-pointers by Burks and Darius George, and the Herd led 30-14 with 9:22 left the first half on their way to a 57-38 advantage at the break.
Marshall led by at least 20 points throughout the second half, cruising to the win.
Nick Mayo had 26 points and 15 rebounds for the Colonels. It was Eastern Kentucky’s first game under new head coach A.W. Hamilton.
MARSHALL 105, E. KENTUCKY 77
MARSHALL (1-0)
Williams 5-8 0-0 11, Bennett 1-4 0-0 2, West 1-8 3-4 6, Elmore 5-16 9-13 20, Burks 12-15 4-5 30, Sustic 1-2 0-0 2, Beyers 1-1 1-2 3, George 3-7 0-1 9, Kinsey 5-7 4-7 14, Watson 4-7 0-0 8, Thomas 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 38-76 21-32 105.
E. KENTUCKY (0-1)
Mayo 9-23 8-8 26, Weaver 2-13 1-4 7, Oakley 2-7 0-2 5, Broughton 0-4 2-2 2, Robinson 6-13 1-4 13, Anderson 3-5 2-6 8, T.King 0-1 1-2 1, Hobbs 1-4 0-0 2, Brown 3-10 5-6 11, Carmical 0-0 0-0 0, H.King 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 26-80 22-36 77.
Halftime—Marshall 57-38. 3-Point Goals—Marshall 8-23 (George 3-5, Burks 2-4, West 1-2, Williams 1-3, Elmore 1-6, Watson 0-1, Bennett 0-1, Thomas 0-1), E. Kentucky 3-27 (Weaver 2-11, Oakley 1-2, Anderson 0-1, Robinson 0-1, Brown 0-3, Broughton 0-3, Mayo 0-6). Fouled Out—Bennett. Rebounds—Marshall 49 (Watson 10), E. Kentucky 46 (Mayo 15). Assists—Marshall 19 (Elmore 6), E. Kentucky 8 (Weaver, Robinson 2). Total Fouls—Marshall 26, E. Kentucky 25. A—5,189 (6,500).