Men's Basketball returns experience squad for its 2016-17 campaign

The Muskingum men's basketball team, under the guidance of Head Coach Travis Schwab, will look to compete for a top-tier spot in the Ohio Athletic Conference during the 2016-17 campaign.

Coach Schwab's team will feature the return of two All-OAC players in sophomore forward Jarrell Marsh and senior forward Joshua Keyes.

Last season, Marsh, an Honorable Mention All-OAC selection, was honored as Muskingum's first-ever OAC Freshman of the Year after leading the Muskies and ranking seventh in the league in scoring (16.0 ppg). The OAC began presenting the Freshman of the Year Award in 2010. He saw action in 22 games and started 16, while averaging 24.0 minutes per contest. Marsh ended his first-year campaign with 352 points and 104 rebounds, and erupted for a career-high 41 points against nationally-ranked Marietta on January 27.

Keyes, an Honorable Mention All-OAC selection, ranked third in the league averaging 8.6 rebounds per game and fourth in blocks per game (1.1 bpg). He averaged 9.7 points per outing and registered five double-doubles (points/rebounds) on the season. Keyes recorded one of the most dominating performances in Muskingum history with his career-high 36-point, 21-rebound night against Case Western on January 6. He will enter his senior year with 522 career points, 419 rebounds and a school record 82 blocks.

Coach Schwab will also return a core group of experienced and talented student-athletes to the court in senior Malik Billingsley, senior Joshua Glass, senior Rickey Wilson, senior Robbie Hisey, junior Jacob Geller, sophomore Jayson Peoples and sophomore Jalen Paige.

Billingsley saw action in every game and averaged 5.7 points per game, and Glass played in every game and averaged 9.2 points and 4.3 boards per outing. Wilson played in 24 games and averaged eight points and 2.2 rebounds, while Hisey saw action in 23 contests and shot .613 from the field.

Geller averaged 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds and Peoples chipped in 3.8 points per game. Paige started 24 games and was second on the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and led the team with 76 assists.

Muskingum opens the year with an exhibition at Miami (Ohio) on Friday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m. The Muskies' regular season opener is Tuesday, November 15 at home against Kenyon. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.

All contests held in the Anne C. Steele Center this season will feature free live HD video and live stats at FightingMuskies.com.