HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Josh Anderson had a grin on his face from the moment he first stepped onto the Cam Henderson Center floor Saturday night.

After 20 minutes of his first basketball game since last April, the Western Kentucky guard had a different reaction.

“I (got tired), I’m not going to lie,” Anderson said. “Actually, at halftime I threw up. I threw up, so yeah, I was fatigued.”

Anderson threw up at halftime, but threw down in his college debut. The Hilltopper freshman scored 16 points – climbing up for a pair of impressive slam dunks – in WKU’s 112-87 win at Marshall.

Anderson shot 6-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-9 from the free-throw line while also finishing with one assist, one block, one steal and no turnovers in his 19 minutes.

Anderson’s debut came one day after the NCAA declared the 6-foot-6 native of Baton Rouge, La., immediately eligible.

A consensus four-star recruit, Anderson missed WKU’s first 15 games this season while the NCAA examined his high school coursework.

Anderson was able to practice each day with his new college teammates, but couldn’t go on road trips or play in games.

He sat in street clothes on the bench at home games alongside transfers Jalen Baker and Jared Savage and Moustapha Diagne, who’s sitting out while the NCAA examines his amateurism status.

“It was hard sitting out, watching my teammates go out and have fun and stuff like that,” Anderson said. “They supported me through it all.

“They were giving me kind words and encouraging me along the way. I’m real grateful.”

Coach Rick Stansbury finally got the good news Friday afternoon and gave it to Anderson shortly before the Hilltoppers boarded their bus to Huntington.

Anderson ran out of Stansbury’s office and hurriedly packed a bag before jumping on the bus.

“The first person I called was definitely my mom because she was with me through it all,” Anderson said. “I called her and gave her the news. She was excited. She screamed through the phone and stuff like that.”

Anderson said his excitement outweighed his nerves heading into Saturday’s game, but that he still had to collect himself so he could play under control.

“My emotions were kind of everywhere,” Anderson said.

Anderson checked in for the first time with 13:01 left in the first half and scored his first college basket on a left-handed scoop off the backboard with 8:59 to play before halftime. That bucket gave WKU (11-5 overall, 3-0 Conference USA) a 34-11 lead over the Thundering Herd (11-5, 2-1) in a game it eventually led by as many as 34 points.

Anderson scored three more first-half baskets, including a breakaway layup off a steal that put the Toppers up 58-35 with 45 seconds left in the period.

Anderson matched his eight first-half points with another eight in the second.

He also was active defensively, helping hold Marshall shooters C.J. Burks and Jon Elmore to a combined 11-of-37 mark from the floor.

Anderson’s debut was a long-awaited night from his perspective and came in a commanding victory for his team.

“Right now, since I came in so late, I just want to come in and do whatever I can to help our team win,” Anderson said.

“I’m not too big on points or anything like that. I just want to help our team win.”