AMHERST, Mass. (WCHS) — Marshall’s men’s basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a road win Monday night at UMass.

The Thundering Herd took a one-point lead into halftime and pulled away down the stretch to knock off the Minutemen 78-72 in a MAC-Sun Belt Conference Challenge showdown.

Marshall led by as many as 13 in the first half, but saw that lead shrink to 38-37 at halftime. A Jalen Speer three-pointer nearly seven minutes into the second half put the Herd ahead for good.

The Herd led by as many as 10 points down the stretch before settling on the final score.

Four players led Marshall with double-digit scoring, highlighted by Wyatt Fricks’ 16 points. Wilson Dubinsky and Caleb Hollenbeck each added 12 points while Noah Otshudi added 10 points.

Two Marshall players – Otshudi and Dubinksy – nearly record double-doubles. Dubinsky hauled in a game-high nine rebounds and Otshudi notched a game-high nine assists.

As a team, the Thundering Herd shot 48% from the field and 33% from three-point range. Marshall dominated the glass, outrebounding UMass 40-28.

The Herd will remain on the road to open the season, heading to Toledo for a 2 p.m. tip on Saturday. That game will be streamed on ESPN+.