They're becoming all the rage in college basketball scheduling: Those "classics," non-bracketed basketball events that give teams four games for the price of two.

Marshall played in one last season at Daytona Beach, Fla., and is schedule to play another one this November. But here's the difference: This one will take place a lot closer to home.

Actually, it will take place at home, for the most part.

The Thundering Herd will play in the Global Sports Invitational, along with nearby Ohio. Both schools will receive home games against Middle Tennessee State, Lamar and North Carolina A&T, said Maury Hanks of Las Vegas-based Global Sports.

The Herd and Bobcats will wrap up the classic with a neutral-site game, Nov. 28 at the Charleston Civic Center.

Marshall's home games will be spread out in the two weeks prior to the OU game. The Herd will play North Carolina A&T on Nov. 15, followed by Middle Tennessee two days later. Lamar will visit Cam Henderson Center on Nov. 25.

The three visiting schools also will play four games in the classic, playing each other at designated campus sites.

Global Sports has operated such classics at Louisville, Las Vegas and Cincinnati, and has other plans for the future, Hanks said.

They're becoming all the rage in college basketball scheduling: Those "classics," non-bracketed basketball events that give teams four games for the price of two.

Marshall played in one last season at Daytona Beach, Fla., and is schedule to play another one this November. But here's the difference: This one will take place a lot closer to home.

Actually, it will take place at home, for the most part.

The Thundering Herd will play in the Global Sports Invitational, along with nearby Ohio. Both schools will receive home games against Middle Tennessee State, Lamar and North Carolina A&T, said Maury Hanks of Las Vegas-based Global Sports.

The Herd and Bobcats will wrap up the classic with a neutral-site game, Nov. 28 at the Charleston Civic Center.

Marshall's home games will be spread out in the two weeks prior to the OU game. The Herd will play North Carolina A&T on Nov. 15, followed by Middle Tennessee two days later. Lamar will visit Cam Henderson Center on Nov. 25.

The three visiting schools also will play four games in the classic, playing each other at designated campus sites.

Global Sports has operated such classics at Louisville, Las Vegas and Cincinnati, and has other plans for the future, Hanks said.

There are several benefits for all teams involved. First, they will play four games, but only two will count against the NCAA's season limit of 30 (or more correctly, 29 plus conference tournament).

And for Marshall and Ohio, it simply provides home games, though the universities don't directly conduct the tournament. Home games have never been harder to come by.

"I just think building basketball schedules is really difficult today," said MU athletic director Bob Marcum. "Because everybody wants to play at home. Unless you're an established basketball power, the more home games you have, the worse your RPI is."

North Carolina A&T, of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, finished 16-16 last season. The Aggies of Greensboro have three expected returning starters, led by Tavarus Alston (11.1 points, 4.1 assists per game).

Middle Tennessee, a Sun Belt Conference team, finished 18-14. The Blue Raiders are led by Desmond "Boogie" Yates, a 6-foot-7 forward who averaged 17.2 points, and their recruiting class was ranked 28th in the nation by Hoop Scoop magazine.

Lamar finished 15-15 in 2008-09 and failed to make the Southland Conference tournament. The Beaumont, Texas-based Cardinals lost their top three scorers, and are led by 6-6 forward Ashton Hall (no, not the Marshall football strong safety), who averaged 8.8 points.

The rest of Marshall's schedule is probably a few months away from being final. The Herd will be returning a game at Old Dominion and playing West Virginia in Charleston again, but several nonconference arrangements must be cultivated.

Reach Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsm...@wvgazette.com.