MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Competing in New Hampshire, the top four Democrats were trying to set themselves apart.
During a debate in Manchester sponsored by ABC, Hillary Rodham Clinton accused campaign front-runner Barack Obama of changing his positions on health care and "a number of issues."
"You said you would vote against the Patriot Act. You came to Senate, you voted for it. You said you would vote against the Iraq war, you came to the Senate and voted for" funding, Cliton said.
"I think we should get into examining everybody's record," she said.
But Obama said he has been "entirely consistent" and that he and Clinton have a "philosophical disagreement."
"I didn't hear these kind of attacks from Sen. Clinton when she was ahead," he said. "Now that she's not we hear them."
Clinton, who finished third in Iowa, immediately made clear she intended to run a more aggressive campaign in New Hampshire when she said Obama's record requires more scrutiny. Former Senator John
Edwards described Clinton as a defender of the status quo.
Meanwhile, Republicans also squared off in a 90-minute debate held before Democrats took the stage.
Senator John McCain said he alone among
Republican presidential contenders criticized President Bush's initial policy in the war on Iraq.
But McCain and all but one of the other participants said they now support the administration's overall war on terror. Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul is running an anti-war platform.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney also went after opponents aggressively, clashing with Mike Huckabee on foreign policy and with McCain on immigration.
"It's not amnesty," McCain shot back after Romney criticized his plan for overhauling the immigration system. "My friend, you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true."
Earlier, Romney criticized Huckabee for having written that the Bush administration was guilty of an "arrogant bunker mentality" on foreign policy.
"Did you read the article before you commented on it," asked Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor.
"I read the article, the whole article," retorted Romney.
The event was part of a rare debate doubleheader, Republicans first, Democrats second, in the same hall at Saint Anselm College. Intermission brought White House hopefuls from both parties onto the stage at the same time, an unusual occurrence that left McCain chatting with Democratic hopeful Clinton.
A poll three days ahead of the New Hampshire
primary showed movement in both parties.
On the Democratic side, Obama was even with Clinton at 33 percent. John Edwards is next at 20 percent followed by Bill Richardson at 4 percent.
The CNN/WMUR-TV poll released just ahead of Saturday night's debates had McCain topping Romney by 6 percent, followed by Rudy Giuliani and Huckabee.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Bill Richardson
DES MOINES, Iowa -
Despite his fourth-place finish in Iowa, Democrat Bill Richardson said he'll keep campaigning as the only candidate who will get the troops out of Iraq next year.
"I just believe there is a lot of support for my position on the war, and I'm going to make this campaign a referendum on ending the war," the New Mexico governor said in an interview with The Associated Press shortly before boarding a plane to New Hampshire. Richardson, who got just 2 percent of the vote in Iowa, said he had called Barack Obama to congratulate the Illinois senator for his victory in the first test of the 2008 presidential election.
Richardson ran ads in the final days of the Iowa campaign criticizing the top three finishers _ Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton _ for refusing to commit to a quicker withdrawal of troops. He was the only Democratic candidate to criticize rivals by name in his ads.
Obama, Clinton and Edwards said in a debate three months ago that while they plan to end the war in Iraq, they cannot guarantee pulling out all U.S. combat troops by the end of the next presidential term in 2013. They say some troops would have to stay to protect the American Embassy or for other duties. Richardson has said that's not really ending the war.
Now that Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware have dropped out of the Democratic contest, Richardson suggested he has a better chance of getting his message through.
"We made the final four and we're on to New Hampshire," Richardson said to the loud cheers of about 300 supporters gathered in a downtown hotel ballroom.
Richardson said he'd been held back by a lack of funds, but said his political views would prevail with voters beyond New Hampshire.
"When you're outspent 20-1 it shows, but this race is not over, wait until we get to New Mexico, Arizona, California and Colorado," he said.
In the interview, Richardson blamed his loss on a large turnout that benefited Obama. He said voters clearly were attracted to Obama's message of bringing change to the White House.
Richardson rose to double-digits in the polls last summer and once seemed set to break into the top tier of candidates. But his climb in the polls stalled in the fall as Obama's campaign began to surge.
A poll of those entering the caucuses showed that Richardson had 7 percent support. But any candidate who doesn't get at least 15 percent support in a given precinct is not viable under Iowa Democratic Party rules and their supporters are free to back other candidates.
Supporter Mike Grooms, 53, of Des Moines, said Richardson supporters at his caucus site all shifted to Obama "because it would damage (Hillary) Clinton," once it became clear Richardson wasn't viable. A Richardson adviser confirmed that the campaign encouraged local organizers to move to Obama when Richardson didn't meet the threshold.
___
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler in Washington contributed to this report.
Despite his fourth-place finish in Iowa, Democrat Bill Richardson said he'll keep campaigning as the only candidate who will get the troops out of Iraq next year.
"I just believe there is a lot of support for my position on the war, and I'm going to make this campaign a referendum on ending the war," the New Mexico governor said in an interview with The Associated Press shortly before boarding a plane to New Hampshire. Richardson, who got just 2 percent of the vote in Iowa, said he had called Barack Obama to congratulate the Illinois senator for his victory in the first test of the 2008 presidential election.
Richardson ran ads in the final days of the Iowa campaign criticizing the top three finishers _ Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton _ for refusing to commit to a quicker withdrawal of troops. He was the only Democratic candidate to criticize rivals by name in his ads.
Obama, Clinton and Edwards said in a debate three months ago that while they plan to end the war in Iraq, they cannot guarantee pulling out all U.S. combat troops by the end of the next presidential term in 2013. They say some troops would have to stay to protect the American Embassy or for other duties. Richardson has said that's not really ending the war.
Now that Sens. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware have dropped out of the Democratic contest, Richardson suggested he has a better chance of getting his message through.
"We made the final four and we're on to New Hampshire," Richardson said to the loud cheers of about 300 supporters gathered in a downtown hotel ballroom.
Richardson said he'd been held back by a lack of funds, but said his political views would prevail with voters beyond New Hampshire.
"When you're outspent 20-1 it shows, but this race is not over, wait until we get to New Mexico, Arizona, California and Colorado," he said.
In the interview, Richardson blamed his loss on a large turnout that benefited Obama. He said voters clearly were attracted to Obama's message of bringing change to the White House.
Richardson rose to double-digits in the polls last summer and once seemed set to break into the top tier of candidates. But his climb in the polls stalled in the fall as Obama's campaign began to surge.
A poll of those entering the caucuses showed that Richardson had 7 percent support. But any candidate who doesn't get at least 15 percent support in a given precinct is not viable under Iowa Democratic Party rules and their supporters are free to back other candidates.
Supporter Mike Grooms, 53, of Des Moines, said Richardson supporters at his caucus site all shifted to Obama "because it would damage (Hillary) Clinton," once it became clear Richardson wasn't viable. A Richardson adviser confirmed that the campaign encouraged local organizers to move to Obama when Richardson didn't meet the threshold.
___
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler in Washington contributed to this report.
Abc Debate
Kucinich files complaint on ABC debate
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer
NEW YORK -- Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich filed a complaint with the FCC on Friday after ABC News excluded him, fellow Democrat Mike Gravel and Republican Duncan Hunter from its prime-time debates on Saturday.
Kucinich argued that ABC is violating equal-time provisions by keeping him out of the debate and noted that ABC's parent Walt Disney Co. had contributed to campaigns involving the four Democrats who were invited.
"ABC should not be the first primary," the Ohio congressman said in papers filed at the Federal Communications Commission.
ABC said the candidates left out of the debates failed to meet benchmarks for their support that were outlined to each campaign prior to the Iowa caucus. Kucinich did not complain about these rules ahead of time, said spokeswoman Cathie Levine, who had no further comment since she hasn't seen the FCC filing.
ABC said it hoped to encourage more conversation and interaction among the candidates during the debates, which will both be moderated by Charles Gibson. The stakes are high as candidates take the stage three days before the New Hampshire primary.
The Republican debate will include Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. It starts at 7 p.m. EST.
Shortly after that 90-minute forum, Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson will take the stage at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
The network set rules to narrow the field. Candidates had to meet at least one of three criteria: place first through fourth in Iowa, poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major New Hampshire surveys, or poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major national surveys.
Democrats Joe Biden and Chris Dodd took some of the pressure off ABC by quitting the race Thursday night.
"In previous debates where the stage was more crowded you had to make sure all of the candidates got fair time," said David Chalian, ABC News political director. "Here you will have more time to go in depth on the issues."
ABC said it believed its rules were inclusive, while also ensuring viewers get a thorough look at the probable next president.
"We're regretful that we're not going to be in it," said Roy Tyler, a spokesman for Hunter. "We're just going to keep working. I think it's a mistake on their part to exclude any viable candidate at this point."
Fox News Channel is sponsoring a debate in its mobile studio Sunday that excludes Paul and Hunter. Huckabee, Giuliani, Romney, Thompson and McCain have been invited.
Each debate will be divided into two parts. During the first 45 minutes, Gibson will select three prominent issues to promote a dialogue. The candidates will be seated and encouraged to talk to each other, and not just to the cameras, Gibson said.
"If I have any personal prejudice against these debates, it's that you see too much of the moderator," Gibson said. "I want to see less of the moderator and more of the candidates."
There won't be any buzzers or lights on the stage to mark time limits for talking, putting the pressure on Gibson to limit filibusters and promote fairness.
The second half of the debate will be a more traditional format, with Gibson and WMUR-TV political director Scott Spradling asking questions on a variety of topics. Candidates will be asked to keep their answers to a minute, Chalian said.
Gibson said he hoped to have a few minutes where both Republican and Democratic candidates are on the same stage, to promote the idea that despite differences, all are Americans hoping for the best for their country. The auditorium will be quickly emptied between debates and a new audience brought in.
Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will lead ABC's coverage. Three hours of live debate with both Republican and Democratic candidates represents a grueling on-air test for Gibson, ABC's chief news anchor.
"I didn't volunteer," he said. "It's something new, it's something different. I can fail miserably at this and may well do so but we're looking for some ways to do something different."
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer
NEW YORK -- Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich filed a complaint with the FCC on Friday after ABC News excluded him, fellow Democrat Mike Gravel and Republican Duncan Hunter from its prime-time debates on Saturday.
Kucinich argued that ABC is violating equal-time provisions by keeping him out of the debate and noted that ABC's parent Walt Disney Co. had contributed to campaigns involving the four Democrats who were invited.
"ABC should not be the first primary," the Ohio congressman said in papers filed at the Federal Communications Commission.
ABC said the candidates left out of the debates failed to meet benchmarks for their support that were outlined to each campaign prior to the Iowa caucus. Kucinich did not complain about these rules ahead of time, said spokeswoman Cathie Levine, who had no further comment since she hasn't seen the FCC filing.
ABC said it hoped to encourage more conversation and interaction among the candidates during the debates, which will both be moderated by Charles Gibson. The stakes are high as candidates take the stage three days before the New Hampshire primary.
The Republican debate will include Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. It starts at 7 p.m. EST.
Shortly after that 90-minute forum, Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson will take the stage at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
The network set rules to narrow the field. Candidates had to meet at least one of three criteria: place first through fourth in Iowa, poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major New Hampshire surveys, or poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major national surveys.
Democrats Joe Biden and Chris Dodd took some of the pressure off ABC by quitting the race Thursday night.
"In previous debates where the stage was more crowded you had to make sure all of the candidates got fair time," said David Chalian, ABC News political director. "Here you will have more time to go in depth on the issues."
ABC said it believed its rules were inclusive, while also ensuring viewers get a thorough look at the probable next president.
"We're regretful that we're not going to be in it," said Roy Tyler, a spokesman for Hunter. "We're just going to keep working. I think it's a mistake on their part to exclude any viable candidate at this point."
Fox News Channel is sponsoring a debate in its mobile studio Sunday that excludes Paul and Hunter. Huckabee, Giuliani, Romney, Thompson and McCain have been invited.
Each debate will be divided into two parts. During the first 45 minutes, Gibson will select three prominent issues to promote a dialogue. The candidates will be seated and encouraged to talk to each other, and not just to the cameras, Gibson said.
"If I have any personal prejudice against these debates, it's that you see too much of the moderator," Gibson said. "I want to see less of the moderator and more of the candidates."
There won't be any buzzers or lights on the stage to mark time limits for talking, putting the pressure on Gibson to limit filibusters and promote fairness.
The second half of the debate will be a more traditional format, with Gibson and WMUR-TV political director Scott Spradling asking questions on a variety of topics. Candidates will be asked to keep their answers to a minute, Chalian said.
Gibson said he hoped to have a few minutes where both Republican and Democratic candidates are on the same stage, to promote the idea that despite differences, all are Americans hoping for the best for their country. The auditorium will be quickly emptied between debates and a new audience brought in.
Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos will lead ABC's coverage. Three hours of live debate with both Republican and Democratic candidates represents a grueling on-air test for Gibson, ABC's chief news anchor.
"I didn't volunteer," he said. "It's something new, it's something different. I can fail miserably at this and may well do so but we're looking for some ways to do something different."
Jack Lengyel
Published Jan. 5, 2008 at 5:26 a.m.
This is a busy time of year for football fans.
Amid the orgy of bowl games and impending NFL playoff matchups, the supply of pigskin on TV has been plentiful.
But, the Packers are off this week. That means a lot of casual fans will be looking for something different to do and diehards will be looking for a fix.
May we suggest a football movie?
With help from a few friends and the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com), we compiled this list of football movies -- some favorites and some flops -- to help pass the time.
"Friday Night Lights" (2004) -- Adapted from the book of the same name by H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger, this is a look at Permian High School team that captivates the tiny town of Odessa, Texas, where a successful prep football season is surpassed only by food, water and shelter on the necessity scale. Billy Bob Thornton plays coach Gary Gaines and you can see country singer Tim McGraw acting as well. Popcorn talk: Bissinger, who wrote a book about St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, lived in Shorewood for awhile.
"The Longest Yard" (1974; remake in 2005) -- The original, starring Burt Reynolds and Eddie Albert, is an all-time classic. The remake, starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, is serviceable at best. The story centers on a star football player who is incarcerated after a series of personal problems and has to deal with a sadistic warden who makes him lead a team of inmates in a tuneup game against the guards. Reynolds plays the role of veteran inmate / former football player Nate Scarborough in the remake. Popcorn talk: The climactic game in the original takes up 47 minutes of the film, which clocks in at 121 minutes.
"Remember the Titans" (2000) -- Football is the backdrop, but early 1970s race relations provide the primary storyline in this movie based on the integration of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Denzel Washington plays coach Herman Boone, who gets his players to bond during training camp and fashions a championship-caliber team that suffers a setback when a star player is injured in a car accident. Popcorn talk: Disney took some license with this movie, which was filmed in Georgia rather than Virginia. In the movie Gary Bertier, played by Ryan Hurst, is injured before the championship game. In real life, Bertier played in the final game and was injured afterward.
"We are Marshall" (2006) -- A poignant tale about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of Marshall University's football team. Matthew McConaughey stars as head coach Jack Lengyel, who has to rebuild the program while the community around him heals. Bring some Kleenex for this one.
"Rudy" (1993) -- Take Rocky Balboa out of Philadelphia, shrink him to about half-size, drop him onto the Notre Dame campus and -- Presto! -- you've got Daniel Ruettiger. This uplifting tale, starring Sean Astin in the title role, is enjoyable even for the many people who can't stand the Fighting Irish. Although they don't appear in a scene together, Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn both appear in the movie before hitting it big with "Swingers." Popcorn talk: When Rudy looks at the dress list, it contains the names of players who took part in Notre Dame's game against Air Force. Joe Montana led the Irish back from a 20-point deficit to a 31-30 victory. The first two names that Rudy points two belong to the two players who actually carried him off the field following his only appearance.
This is a busy time of year for football fans.
Amid the orgy of bowl games and impending NFL playoff matchups, the supply of pigskin on TV has been plentiful.
But, the Packers are off this week. That means a lot of casual fans will be looking for something different to do and diehards will be looking for a fix.
May we suggest a football movie?
With help from a few friends and the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com), we compiled this list of football movies -- some favorites and some flops -- to help pass the time.
"Friday Night Lights" (2004) -- Adapted from the book of the same name by H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger, this is a look at Permian High School team that captivates the tiny town of Odessa, Texas, where a successful prep football season is surpassed only by food, water and shelter on the necessity scale. Billy Bob Thornton plays coach Gary Gaines and you can see country singer Tim McGraw acting as well. Popcorn talk: Bissinger, who wrote a book about St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, lived in Shorewood for awhile.
"The Longest Yard" (1974; remake in 2005) -- The original, starring Burt Reynolds and Eddie Albert, is an all-time classic. The remake, starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, is serviceable at best. The story centers on a star football player who is incarcerated after a series of personal problems and has to deal with a sadistic warden who makes him lead a team of inmates in a tuneup game against the guards. Reynolds plays the role of veteran inmate / former football player Nate Scarborough in the remake. Popcorn talk: The climactic game in the original takes up 47 minutes of the film, which clocks in at 121 minutes.
"Remember the Titans" (2000) -- Football is the backdrop, but early 1970s race relations provide the primary storyline in this movie based on the integration of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Denzel Washington plays coach Herman Boone, who gets his players to bond during training camp and fashions a championship-caliber team that suffers a setback when a star player is injured in a car accident. Popcorn talk: Disney took some license with this movie, which was filmed in Georgia rather than Virginia. In the movie Gary Bertier, played by Ryan Hurst, is injured before the championship game. In real life, Bertier played in the final game and was injured afterward.
"We are Marshall" (2006) -- A poignant tale about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of Marshall University's football team. Matthew McConaughey stars as head coach Jack Lengyel, who has to rebuild the program while the community around him heals. Bring some Kleenex for this one.
"Rudy" (1993) -- Take Rocky Balboa out of Philadelphia, shrink him to about half-size, drop him onto the Notre Dame campus and -- Presto! -- you've got Daniel Ruettiger. This uplifting tale, starring Sean Astin in the title role, is enjoyable even for the many people who can't stand the Fighting Irish. Although they don't appear in a scene together, Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn both appear in the movie before hitting it big with "Swingers." Popcorn talk: When Rudy looks at the dress list, it contains the names of players who took part in Notre Dame's game against Air Force. Joe Montana led the Irish back from a 20-point deficit to a 31-30 victory. The first two names that Rudy points two belong to the two players who actually carried him off the field following his only appearance.
New Hampshire Debates
By Mark Egan Sat Jan 5, 9:27 AM ET
NASHUA, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Barack Obama's bid to be America's first black president is under fire from Democrats and Republicans alike before political debates on Saturday to help voters pick who to vote for in New Hampshire's primary.
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A day after his unexpected victory as Iowa's choice for the Democratic nomination to run in the November election, Obama's message of hope and change was derided by both Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney -- the leaders of the Democratic and Republican fields here.
"Did you listen to Barack Obama?" Romney, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts seeking to become America's first Mormon president, said at a late Friday rally.
"He is a new face, but gosh when you listen to what comes out of his mouth. It's like, 'We're going to just get our troops out of Iraq," Romney said. "Have you thought about the consequences?"
Romney, who unexpectedly lost in Iowa to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was referring to Obama's promise to get U.S. troops out of Iraq.
And Clinton, a New York senator, said: "I know that the next president will embody the hopes and dreams of all of us, but I also know that they cannot be false hopes."
Clinton's lead over Obama in New Hampshire shrunk slightly to 4 points, 32 percent to 28 percent, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Saturday. John Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who finished second in Iowa, was in third place with 20 percent.
Among Republicans, Arizona Sen. John McCain's lead over Romney fell by 2 points to 32 percent against 30 percent. Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, gained 2 points to 12 percent.
Most of the polling in the four-day tracking survey was done before the Iowa caucuses on Thursday.
Tuesday's New Hampshire primaries will help decide who runs in November's election to succeed U.S. President George W. Bush.
"We have to pick a president who is ready on Day One to do the job, the tough and difficult job," said Clinton, seeking to become America's first female president.
Clinton and Obama spoke to the same Democratic rally on Friday evening. But on Saturday they will face off against each other in a controversial televised debate which promises an in-depth look at candidates.
The prime-time back-to-back debates on ABC -- first for Republicans and then Democrats -- will have a reduced field.
TIGHT FIELD
Republican Duncan Hunter and Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel were excluded by organizers and Democrats Joe Biden and Chris Dodd quit the race after poor returns in Iowa.
ABC only allowed candidates into the debate if they finished in the top four in Iowa or secured 5 percent in New Hampshire or national polls.
Kucinich's campaign filed an emergency complaint with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission late on Friday saying the network was, "violating its obligation to operate in the public interest" by excluding candidates.
The first debate on Saturday is between Romney; McCain, who won the 2000 New Hampshire primary; Rudy Giuliani, mayor of New York City during the 9/11 attacks; Huckabee; anti-war candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas; and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, also known as an actor on TV's "Law and Order."
The Democratic field is smaller -- Clinton, Obama, Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in Bill Clinton's cabinet.
ABC said the tight field will allow Americans to hear more from each candidate and that the format will be novel.
Candidates will sit in a semi-circle and for 45 minutes ABC News anchor Charles Gibson will pose three major issues aimed at getting the politicians to debate among themselves.
There are no time constraints on how long a candidate may speak and Gibson says he plans to intervene only if needed to push the debate forward or calm an argument.
The second half of each 90-minute debate is more traditional with Gibson and a colleague for ABC's local affiliate WMUR asking specific questions of candidates.
ABC arranged the debate in conjunction with Facebook and some of the questions posed may be generated from issues raised by members of the popular networking site on a joint Facebook/ABC page which has been posting a daily question.
(Additional reporting by Jason Szep in Manchester and Claudia Parsons in Nashua; Editing by Eric Walsh)
Marshall University
A | A | A
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Tirrell Baines had 19 points and 13
rebounds to lead Marshall to a 67-62 overtime victory over Winthrop
today in Huntington.
Markel Humphrey added 12 points and Mark Dorris scored 15 points
for Marshall, which improved to 8-4 on the season.
Humphrey scored five points in overtime and Baines had four.
Winthrop took its only lead in overtime, 58-57, after a 3-pointer
by Michael Jenkins with 2:47 left. Baines then made a layup with
2:24 remaining to give Marshall the lead for good.
Dorris' 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds to play tied the
game at 51-51 and forced overtime.
Marshall jumped to a 17-0 lead, not allowing Winthrop to score
until nine minutes into the game before the Eagles closed to 29-23
at halftime.
Jenkins led Winthrop with 23 points and Antwon Harris added 15.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - Tirrell Baines had 19 points and 13
rebounds to lead Marshall to a 67-62 overtime victory over Winthrop
today in Huntington.
Markel Humphrey added 12 points and Mark Dorris scored 15 points
for Marshall, which improved to 8-4 on the season.
Humphrey scored five points in overtime and Baines had four.
Winthrop took its only lead in overtime, 58-57, after a 3-pointer
by Michael Jenkins with 2:47 left. Baines then made a layup with
2:24 remaining to give Marshall the lead for good.
Dorris' 3-pointer with just under 30 seconds to play tied the
game at 51-51 and forced overtime.
Marshall jumped to a 17-0 lead, not allowing Winthrop to score
until nine minutes into the game before the Eagles closed to 29-23
at halftime.
Jenkins led Winthrop with 23 points and Antwon Harris added 15.
We Are Marshall
Winthrop a huge win for Marshall
Jan 05, 2008 @ 11:29 PM
By GRANT TRAYLOR
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- For the first eight minutes, Marshall simply could not miss.
For the next 32, it seemed as though they could not hit.
Thank goodness for Mark Dorris and Markel Humphrey, there was an extra five minutes to make up for lost time.
"We can't do that too often," Dorris said. "We have to go out there and attack from the beginning."
Marshall jumped to a 17-0 lead, Winthrop came all the way back and the Thundering Herd prevailed, 67-62, in a men's basketball overtime thriller Saturday afternoon.
With just more than six minutes left, Humphrey and Dorris had combined for only five points and the Herd trailed 42-38.
With one field goal between them, Dorris said the duo didn't get down on themselves. Instead, they refocused and helped lead the team back.
"We are the experienced veterans on the team," Dorris said. "Markel is attracting a lot of double teams, so we have to pick up and help him out. When open shots come, we have to make them."
After struggling for the first 34 minutes of the game, Dorris hit a three-pointer from the right corner and gave a slight fist pump running back down court after overcoming his slump.
"I try not to get to down on myself," Dorris said. "I know in basketball, you are going to make shots and miss shots. But it did feel good to finally make one. I got excited and it got us going as a unit."
Dorris and Humphrey combined for the final 13 points of regulation, including Dorris' three-pointer to force overtime.
The rejuvenated Herd offense took over in the overtime session, hitting 4-of-6 field goal attempts and eight of 10 free throw attempts to earn the victory.
The importance of the win was not lost on the team as Matt Walls sprinted off the court and others celebrated in the middle of the floor following the game.
"The West Virginia win when Tre Whitted hit that falling three, that's No. 1 on my list," Dorris said. "This is up there at No. 2 or No. 3...Winthrop is a heck of a team. They hit some big three-pointers down the stretch.
"To be able to come back from being up to tied and coming back and winning, that shows our character as a unit."
Dorris finished with 15 points and Humphrey ended with 12 to complement freshman Tirrell Baines who had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the team.
However, Dorris said that at this point, everyone should drop the freshman title from in front of Baines' name and Matt Walls also.
"It's like they aren't even freshmen anymore," Dorris said. "Their confidence coming down the stretch, they play as upperclassmen. Their confidence sure doesn't lack out there."
The win was especially sweet for Baines, a Laurens, S.C., native. He responded by scoring nine of Marshall's first 12 points as the Herd built a 17-0 lead nine minutes into the game.
"It was a big win because I'm from South Carolina, about an hour away from Rock Hill," Baines said. "It was a big win for our program, too."
The win places Marshall at 8-4 heading into conference play Wednesday at Rice.
Jan 05, 2008 @ 11:29 PM
By GRANT TRAYLOR
The Herald-Dispatch
HUNTINGTON -- For the first eight minutes, Marshall simply could not miss.
For the next 32, it seemed as though they could not hit.
Thank goodness for Mark Dorris and Markel Humphrey, there was an extra five minutes to make up for lost time.
"We can't do that too often," Dorris said. "We have to go out there and attack from the beginning."
Marshall jumped to a 17-0 lead, Winthrop came all the way back and the Thundering Herd prevailed, 67-62, in a men's basketball overtime thriller Saturday afternoon.
With just more than six minutes left, Humphrey and Dorris had combined for only five points and the Herd trailed 42-38.
With one field goal between them, Dorris said the duo didn't get down on themselves. Instead, they refocused and helped lead the team back.
"We are the experienced veterans on the team," Dorris said. "Markel is attracting a lot of double teams, so we have to pick up and help him out. When open shots come, we have to make them."
After struggling for the first 34 minutes of the game, Dorris hit a three-pointer from the right corner and gave a slight fist pump running back down court after overcoming his slump.
"I try not to get to down on myself," Dorris said. "I know in basketball, you are going to make shots and miss shots. But it did feel good to finally make one. I got excited and it got us going as a unit."
Dorris and Humphrey combined for the final 13 points of regulation, including Dorris' three-pointer to force overtime.
The rejuvenated Herd offense took over in the overtime session, hitting 4-of-6 field goal attempts and eight of 10 free throw attempts to earn the victory.
The importance of the win was not lost on the team as Matt Walls sprinted off the court and others celebrated in the middle of the floor following the game.
"The West Virginia win when Tre Whitted hit that falling three, that's No. 1 on my list," Dorris said. "This is up there at No. 2 or No. 3...Winthrop is a heck of a team. They hit some big three-pointers down the stretch.
"To be able to come back from being up to tied and coming back and winning, that shows our character as a unit."
Dorris finished with 15 points and Humphrey ended with 12 to complement freshman Tirrell Baines who had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the team.
However, Dorris said that at this point, everyone should drop the freshman title from in front of Baines' name and Matt Walls also.
"It's like they aren't even freshmen anymore," Dorris said. "Their confidence coming down the stretch, they play as upperclassmen. Their confidence sure doesn't lack out there."
The win was especially sweet for Baines, a Laurens, S.C., native. He responded by scoring nine of Marshall's first 12 points as the Herd built a 17-0 lead nine minutes into the game.
"It was a big win because I'm from South Carolina, about an hour away from Rock Hill," Baines said. "It was a big win for our program, too."
The win places Marshall at 8-4 heading into conference play Wednesday at Rice.
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