January 5, 2026

On the January 5 edition of The Drive with Paul Swann, Paul Swann reviews Marshall men’s basketball following an 88-81 win over Appalachian State that moved the Thundering Herd to 10-5 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play. Jalen Speer leads the discussion, with contributions from Noah Otshudi and Wyatt Fricks also highlighted. The show previews Wednesday’s matchup against James Madison and examines early Sun Belt standings and team trends.

Marshall women’s basketball is also covered after improving to 13-3 overall and 4-0 in conference play with a road win at Appalachian State. Paul breaks down the defensive performance, roster health, and positioning in the Sun Belt race.

The episode includes Marshall football end-of-season awards, transfer portal updates, College Football Playoff semifinal analysis, NFL playoff positioning, and listener response.