Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Jesswein

Marquette-South Florida Preview: Golden Eagles Look to Extend Win Streak to 13

Alex Jesswein — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:24:13 -0500

No. 8 Marquette Golden Eagles (20-2, 9-0) @ USF Bulls (7-14, 2-7)

Sun Dome—Tampa, Fla.

6:00 CST Friday Night

TV: ESPN Full Court/360, WMLW

Broadcast Team: Don Criqui (play-by-play) and Jay Williams (analyst)

Although Marquette won their game at DePaul on Tuesday, the team will be looking for a bounce-back performance when they take the court Friday, after letting an 18-point lead slip down to four during their last showing.

“The way we handled [the DePaul game] in the second half and the things that we have talked about since then gives us another opportunity to get better,” said Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. “And that’s what we have got to do in order to finish this [season] the way we started it.”

Winning on the road, however, is never an easy task, and USF could present some potential problems for the Golden Eagles. For starters, the last time the Blue and Gold made a trip down to Tampa, it took a last second steal and layup by Jerel McNeal to get the win.

Looking at USF’s roster, it doesn’t take long to notice that Dominique Jones is an absolute scoring machine. He averages over 18 points per game and has scored 30 or more three times this season, including a 35-point outburst against West Virginia.

“Dominique Jones scored his 1,000th point last week, and he’s played three semesters of basketball,” said Williams. ”He’s on pace to break Pistol Pete’s (Maravich) record.”

The Bulls are not a one-man team, however, as both Jesus Verdejo and Augustus Gilchrist average in double figures. At 6’10” and 235 pounds, Gilchrist could cause problems for an undersized Marquette squad.

“Verdejo has continued to improve,” said Williams. “[And] we’ll have mismatch problems again with Gilchrist.”

Part of Marquette’s strategy over the last few weeks has been to go with a smaller lineup. So far that strategy has been successful, yet matchups still seem to be a key issue in deciding when the Golden Eagles will play “small ball.”

“We can’t have a completely steady diet of small ball,” said Williams, “and think that we are going to compete at an elite level all the time. I think there are times when you can do that, but we have to continue to get [solid bench play].”

Over the past few weeks, Marquette has been able to turn to Jimmy Butler on the bench for those solid minutes. Against DePaul he scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds, and last Saturday against Georgetown he scored nine points.

“I think he’s been extremely key to what we’ve done, said Williams. “I think the thing that has made him best is I am able to sub him for different guys now. When you have a guy that can sub at two or three spots, that makes you more versatile on both ends of the floor.”

The Golden Eagles will once again be looking for Butler to contribute off the bench when they try to extend their 12-game winning streak in Tampa. Marquette will also be shooting for their 10th Big East win and sixth road win in as many games.

USF PROJECTED STARTERS

G—Chris Howard (6’3” 200 lbs.): 7.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.6 apg

G—Jesus Verdejo (6’4” 205 lbs.): 13.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 34 % 3pt

G/F—Dominique Jones (6’4” 210 lbs.): 18.3 ppg, 4.0 apg, 5.0 rpg, 33% 3pt

F—Aris Williams (6’9” 235 lbs.): 3.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.5 bpg

F/C—Augustus Gilchrist (6’10” 235 lbs.): 10.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg

RESERVES

F/C—Alex Rivas Sanchez (6’10” 230lbs.): 2.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, .5 bpg

F—Eladio Espinosa (6’7” 220 lbs.): 2.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.3 bpg

G—Justin Leemow (6’1” 175 lbs.): 1.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1 apg

Marquette-Georgetown Preview: Golden Eagles Look to Extend Winning Streak

Alex Jesswein — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:32:15 -0500

No. 8 Marquette Golden Eagles (18-2, 7-0) vs. No. 23 Georgetown Hoyas (12-6, 3-5)

Bradley Center—Milwaukee, Wis.

1 p.m. CST, Saturday Afternoon

TV: ESPN Full Court/ESPN 360/Time Warner Sports 32

When the Marquette Golden Eagles and Georgetown Hoyas meet up on Saturday afternoon, it will be a matchup of two teams that have been heading in different directions of late.

The Golden Eagles will enter on a 10-game winning streak, including seven straight during conference play. In those seven Big East wins, their average margin of victory is just over 13 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Hoyas are coming off their fourth straight defeat and have lost six of their last eight games. In those six losses, Georgetown averaged a meager 60.5 points per game.

However, the biggest loss for the Hoyas, in regards to this matchup, came in their last game when leading scorer DaJuan Summers left with a foot injury. Georgetown coach John Thompson III said on the Big East conference call Thursday morning that Summers would be examined and that he hoped to have an update later in the day.

“Being honest right now,” Thompson said, “it doesn’t look good for him being able to go on Saturday.”

That would be a huge loss for the reeling Hoyas, as Summers currently leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and is their best three-point shooter at 39 percent.

“We’re in a situation now, with DaJuan out, that we’re going to have all freshmen and sophomores on the court for significant minutes,” Thompson said. “[Experience] is a luxury that we don’t have.”

Despite the reports, Marquette head Coach Buzz Williams believes that Summers will play on Saturday and will prepare his team accordingly.

“DaJuan Summers will play,” said Williams. “They will call his name out before they ever tip it off. He’ll play.”

If Summers is out, it appears the Hoyas will have to rely even more on highly touted freshman Greg Monroe. Monroe is a unique player in college basketball because he has great size (6’11”, 250lbs.) and versatility. He is solid in almost every aspect of his game.

“The thing that makes [Georgetown] so unique is Greg Monroe,” said Williams. “He’s the best freshman in the country. His skill set is perfect for how they play. I think that because he’s different, because he is unique he makes their other guys so much better.”

Georgetown will also be looking for other players to step up if Summers cannot suit up. Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Jessie Sapp are all solid players that are capable of scoring 20 or more points on any given night, and the Hoyas will be looking for one of them to do so.

On the other hand, the Golden Eagles are coming off arguably their biggest win of the season, defeating Notre Dame 71-64 in South Bend (Ind.).

Marquette’s defense was key in shutting down players not named Luke Harangody. The team held Kyle McAlarney, the Irish’s second leading scorer, to just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting.

The reason for the Golden Eagles’ early success during the Big East season has been predicated on their continual demonstration of poise in tough situations.

“I think they’re really mature,” said Williams. “But I think more so than how mature they are, I think they are really hungry for success. And I think that they swallow their success pretty well, and then they get back to figuring out how they can do it one more time.”

When the Golden Eagles hit the court on Saturday they will once again try to replicate the success they have had early in the Big East season.

GU PROJECTED STARTERS

G—Chris Wright (6’1” 201 lbs.): 12.0 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.1 rpg

G—Jessie Sapp (6’3” 212 lbs.): 6.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 35 % 3pt

G/F—Austin Freeman (6’4” 230 lbs.): 12.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.9 apg

F—DaJuan Summers (6’8”, 236 lbs.): 14.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 39% 3pt

F/C—Greg Monroe (6’11” 250 lbs.): 13.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 1.7 spg

RESERVES

G—Jason Clark (6’2” 176 lbs.): 5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg

F—Julian Vaughn (6’9” 246 lbs.): 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, .5 bpg

F—Henry Sims (6’10”, 225 lbs.): 1.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, .7 bpg

F—Nikita Mescheriakov (6’8”, 208 lbs.): 1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg

G/F—Omar Wattad (6’5, 225 lbs.): 3.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg

PREGAME NOTES

Both the Marquette and Georgetown staffs will be wearing sneakers with their usual dress attire during Saturday’s game for the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. The Marquette staff will be wearing the Converse Pro Leather Ox, which debuted in 1976.

Marquette’s 10-game winning streak is the longest for the team since the 2002-03 season.

Lazar Hayward is one point shy of 1,000 for his career, and Marquette will join North Carolina as the only school with four active 1,000-point scorers if/when Hayward reaches that feat.

Battle at The Bradley Center: Marquette Vs. Wisconsin

Alex Jesswein — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:29:43 -0500

Marquette (6-1) and Wisconsin (6-1) will meet for the 115th time in their storied rivalry in Milwaukee on Saturday.

Buzz Williams may only be in his first season as Marquette head coach, but he understands what this rivalry means to residents of the Badger State.

“I know enough to know that it is important to a lot of people,” Williams. “It’s important to our alumni, to their alumni, to their players, to our players.”

But once again, the Golden Eagle who gets asked the most about this rivalry is Madison native Wesley Matthews.

“You know [this is a big game for me],” said Matthews. “It’s a lot of fun. You start to get to the middle of the season, you get the kinks out and you’re working to get better every day and then you got the Badgers coming to town.”

Matthews did get to have fun at last season’s contest, an 81-76 Marquette victory at the Kohl Center, and described it as one of the highlights of his career at Marquette.

“People don’t win at the Kohl Center,” Matthews said. “It’s a tough place to play. That definitely is one of the highlights though, being able to go back home and get one [win]. Especially after starting out 0-2 against them.“

This season’s installment once again features two teams with contrasting styles and opposing strengths.

“I think it will be a battle of wills on every possession,” said Williams. “Our team is built differently than theirs. Every possession will be a battle.”

One of the keys that Marquette will be focused on is pressuring Wisconsin’s guards to try and keep the ball out of the paint.

“We have to keep the ball out of the post whether we are playing Central Michigan or Wisconsin,” said Williams. “When the ball gets into the paint, that’s when we are most vulnerable. The best thing to do is to keep the ball as high on the floor as you can and make sure you have great ball pressure.”

This game should be another classic in a lasting rivalry.

GAME BREAKDOWN

Marquette

Marquette runs what most consider being a motion or continuity offense. It is considered an equal opportunity offense because it is not strictly set plays and the players are supposed to read and react to the defense.

So far this season, Marquette has excelled in this offense scoring 87.9 points-per-game, eighth in the nation. The number one reason they have increased there scoring so much is that they have been getting baskets without taking time off the clock.

They are 10th in the nation in getting to the free throw line. Overall Marquette is pretty similar to where they were efficiency-wise last season. The only difference is that they are playing at a faster pace.

Defensively, Marquette has played strictly man-to-man defense and I would expect the same on Saturday night. Many fans are concerned with the number of points per game they have allowed but part of this is due to the fast pace that they play at.

According to Ken Pomeroy, Marquette’s adjusted defensive efficiency is 116th in the nation. Meanwhile there raw efficiency, which does not take into account the quality of the opponent, is 85th in the nation.

Marquette likes to try and force other teams to turn the ball over by pressuring there guards and sometimes applying either a full court or three-quarter-court press.

This season they have not been as efficient in turning the other team over. Last season they ranked 49th in defensive turnover percentage and 11th in steal percentage while this year they are 158th in defensive turnover percentage and 79th in steal percentage.

Although, it doesn’t show in the stats, Marquette has had trouble defending the post. Part of this is due to their lack of size and depth at the forward and center position.

Wisconsin

Last season, the Wisconsin really made a name for themselves on the defensive end. They were first in the nation in raw defensive efficiency and second in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.

So far this season they have not been able to keep up that pace and have slipped to 130th and 107th, respectively. Like Marquette, they play strictly a man-to-man defense. The Badgers play a tough defense and generally do a good job of positioning themselves to play solid defense without fouling.

Since 2004, the Badgers have been ranked in the top 33 for defensive free throw rate all but one season. This season they have had trouble defending three point shooters, allowing opponents to shoot 39.8 percent from downtown.

However, they make up for it by not allowing many second chance opportunities. Overall, they are not a team that is going to turn their opponents over but they will make them earn every point they get.

Wisconsin runs the Swing offense, which Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is known for. It is also a read and react offense but it has its differences from a ‘normal’ motion offense as well.

In the Swing offense, players go to assigned spots before reading and reacting the defense. Also, guards are encouraged to post up and big men are given opportunities to score from the perimeter.

Wisconsin has been very successful in this offense and Ryan has recruited players that fit to his style. Wisconsin has taken advantages of opportunities from the perimeter so far this season by hitting 42.9 percent of their three point shots. In addition, they do an excellent job of protecting the ball.

Marquette Starters

Dominic James has proven himself to be one of the best floor generals in the country so far this season. He is averaging 5.6 assists per game and has a 3.9/1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He doesn’t seem to be looking for his shot as much this season (nine shots per game this season vs. 11.4 last season) but has continued to do an excellent job of running the offense.

On the downside, James has shot a lousy 48.9 percent from the free throw line this season. Defensively, James has been a ball hawk in the passing lane, averaging 2.7 steals per game.

Jerel McNeal increased his scoring by 2.5 points per game from 14.9 to 17.4 this season. He has continued his stat stuffing ways, averaging over four assists and four rebounds a game.

McNeal has taken five three pointers per game this season which he might want to tone down considering he is only shooting 33 percent from downtown. McNeal’s slashing ability could prove to be a problem for Wisconsin especially if Bohannon is matched up on him.

Wesley Matthews might be the most improved player in the Big East so far this season. He has exploded offensively, averaging 22 points per game. Due to Marquette’s lack of size he has been forced to rebound the ball and is averaging 6.3 boards per game.

His biggest difference this season is his ability to get to the free throw line. He leads the nation in free throws made and its not that close. He has not only gotten to the line but he has been effective there as well, hitting 88 percent of his freebies. He has stepped up so far this year but will have to work on protecting the ball (3.3 turnovers per game).

Lazar Hayward is off to an excellent start to the season, nearly averaging a double-double. His team leading 9.1 RPG are good enough for 7th in the Big East. In the Golden Eagles first seven games, Hayward has played primarily inside the three-point line despite shooting over 45 percent from downtown last season.

Dwight Burke has been a disappointment so far for Marquette fan’s who were expecting a jump in his production. In fact, he has committed more fouls (25) than points (16) or rebounds (24).

That being said, Burke had a career game versus Wisconsin last season. He finished the game with 12 points and 9 rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. Marquette needs him to stay out of foul trouble, especially with their size deficiency.

Marquette Bench

In each of their seven regular season games the Golden Eagles have only suited up nine scholarship players. Therefore there bench has been forced into action. Maurice Acker and David Cubillan provide depth at the guard position and both are a threat from three-point range.

Butler, a sophomore transfer has filled in at both the guard and forward position. His length has helped him in drawing fouls and grabbing rebounds. Hazel has played a lot of minutes due to Burke’s foul troubles. He has had some solid games but overall his performance has been inconsistent.

Wisconsin Starters

Trevon Hughes currently leads the Badgers in scoring at 13.9 ppg. He is an ultra quick guard that combined with Dominic James will prove to be an excellent matchup. Not necessarily known for his three-point shooting ability, Hughes is shooting an amazing 54 percent from beyond the arc after shooting just 31 percent last season.

In the game against Marquette last season, Hughes did not shoot the ball well (4-15 FG) and really seemed to be forcing his shot in the game. So far this season he is shooting ten percentage points higher from the field.

Jason Bohannon will not wow you with his athleticism but he is a smart player and a good shooter, despite his early season numbers. It will be interesting to see what guard he matches up with defensively because he is not known for his foot speed. However, his stroke from deep is good enough to make up for it. I think if he can hold his own defensively, the Badgers will be in excellent shape.

Joe Krabbenhoft is your typical hard-nosed, physical, Big Ten style player. He is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type player. He leads Wisconsin in rebounding (5.9 RPG) and assists (3.1 APG). Krabbenhoft is a physical player that can post you up, hit from mid range and shoot it from the outside.

In addition he has a reputation for being a pretty good defender. In the game versus Marquette last season, he played nearly every minute (38) while scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds.

Marcus Landry was named preseason all conference in the Big Ten this season. He is a Milwaukee native playing his last game in his hometown. He is second in scoring for the Badgers and has been an enforcer around the rim by blocking just over two shots a game.

Landry presents a matchup problem for just about every team he faces. He can score both inside and out and his athleticism can be a problem for opposing teams. MU did a nice job last season of containing him to just 7 points and 5 rebounds.

Keaton Nankivil is a former teammate of Marquette guard Wesley Matthews. Both of them played their high school ball at Madison Memorial. Nankivil did not play much last season (46 minutes the entire season) and plays just 18 minutes a game, despite being a starter. He is a physical post presence that could cause problems for Marquette.

Wisconsin Bench

Jon Leuer has proven himself to be quite the player so far this season after showing flashes as a freshman last year. In fact, he came off the bench to score nine points and grab five rebounds in the game against Marquette last season. His combination of size, skill and quickness could be a problem for Marquette’s frontcourt.

Tim Jarmusz is another player that gets a lot of minutes off the bench for Wisconsin. He is a big guard that can stroke it from deep. Jordan Taylor and Rob Wilson are basically the only other guys who get playing time from Coach Ryan. Taylor usually comes in to back up the point guard slot while Wilson is an athletic wing player.

Big East Basketball Power Rankings: Week Three

Alex Jesswein — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:02:33 -0500

1. Connecticut (6-0)

After a slow start, Huskies topped Bryant by 30 in their only game of the week. They have another light week ahead with a home game against Delaware State and a road contest with Buffalo.

2. Pittsburgh (7-0)

Pittsburgh is looking more and more like title contenders in the Big East with each game. They rolled through the Legends Classic with wins over Texas Tech and Washington State. They face two solid mid major squads this week, Duquesne and Vermont.

3. Notre Dame (5-1)

Notre Dame is on top of the one-loss teams this week after a really good showing in the Maui Invitational. They knocked off a top-ten team (Texas) and played tough against the top team in the country (UNC). The Irish have games against South Dakota and Ohio State this week.

4. Syracuse (6-0)

Monster week for Jim Boeheim’s team. They won the CBE classic by defeating Florida and Kansas. Then they came home in a short time frame to beat Virginia. They have another busy week ahead as they face Colgate and Cornell on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

5. Villanova (6-0)

Villanova had a solid week by beating Monmouth, Towson and Rhode Island to remain undefeated. They face Pennsylvania and Houston Baptist this week.

6. Georgetown (4-1)

The Hoyas had a good showing in Orlando with their only loss coming to Tennessee. Greg Monroe’s airball free-throw aside, John Thompson III had to be happy with the way his team played this week. They face American University on Saturday with a date against Memphis looming in the future.

7. Louisville (2-1)

In their lone game this week, the Cardinals pulled a boner. They fell flat on their face and lost to Western Kentucky by 14. Granted the game wasn’t at home (in Nashville, TN) it was still a bad loss for the Cardinals. They have games against Indiana State and Ohio this coming week.

8. Marquette (5-1)

After crushing Northern Iowa by 30 the Golden Eagles were run over by Dayton. They were physically over-matched and simply did not play well. They have to sure up things quickly with Central Michigan and in state rival Wisconsin arriving at the Bradley Center this week.

9. West Virginia (4-1)

The Mountaineers shot poorly against Kentucky and it cost them the game. Other than that they defeated Iowa and Delaware State. We may get a better gauge of how good this team is this week as they face Ole Miss and Cleveland State.

10. Cincinnati (5-1)

The Bearcats lost an ugly game to Florida State but pulled out a close win over UNLV. Yancy Gates proved himself to be the real deal and Cincinnati should focus on getting him more touches. They have a tough game this week with UAB coming to town.

11. Seton Hall (5-1)

After a thrilling tournament weekend in Puerto Rico, the Pirates took it easy this week with just one game on the schedule. They defeated Delaware in a tight game.

12. DePaul (4-0)

DePaul managed to stay undefeated on the young season with wins over Detroit and Indiana State. It will be tough for them to stay undefeated this week because they head to California to face the Cal Bears and then face Northwestern on Saturday.

13. St. John’s (5-1)

The Johnnies have managed to win despite loosing Anthony Mason Jr. for the season. Granted the strength of schedule hasn’t been that great, but give St. John’s credit for having role players step up to the plate. They face a couple more bunnies this week.

14. Providence (4-3)

It has been a rough start for Keno Davis in his first season at Providence. Already having three non-conference losses, the pressure is on Davis and the Friars to close out the non conference season without losing another. It has to be disappointing for Providence fans though, considering how much talent is returning.

15. South Florida (3-1)

South Florida has been out to a pretty good start and Dominique Jones appears to be building off of his successful freshman campaign. It will be interesting to see how the Bulls do this week with road trips to UAB and Central Florida on their plate. If they can sneak by those guys with wins they are setting themselves up well for Augustus Gilchrist and Mike Mercer’s debut.

16. Rutgers (4-2)

After losing in overtime to St. Bonaventure last week, Rutgers had another head-scratcher this week by losing to Lehigh at home. This team definitely has talent but their youth is showing early. They can turn it around this week with games they should win against Rider and Binghamton.

Big East Basketball Power Rankings: Week Two

Alex Jesswein — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:32:29 -0500

1. Connecticut (4-0)-Scored a nice win over a ranked Miami (FL) team and has a key game against Wisconsin in the final of the Paradise Jam Tournament. Hasheem Thabeet was dominant in the win over Miami. The junior center scored 19 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and swatted 7 shots.

2. Louisville (2-0)- Samardo Samuels played really well in Louisville's first couple of games, scoring 18 and 24 points. Louisville's biggest gain was getting senior forward Terrance Williams back from injury.

3. Pittsburgh (4-0)-DeJuan Blair is a man. His 27 points and 18 rebounds against Indiana (PA) was quite impressive. The Panthers have looked dominant so far and with Fields running the show, they are going to be a tough team to beat.

4. Notre Dame (2-0)- The Irish struggled a little bit against Loyola Marymount but have a big opportunity in the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

5. Marquette (3-0)- Marquette's offense has a ton of firepower right now. The Golden Eagles have averaged over 100 points-per-game this season. They face Texas Southern, Northern Iowa, and Dayton to complete the Chicago Invitational.

6. Villanova (3-0)-Villanova has gotten contributions from all over the place this season. They are still guard heavy but their front court play has improved. They face Monmouth and Towson this week.

7. Georgetown (2-0)-The Hoyas struggled a bit with Jacksonville but had little trouble with Drexel. Greg Monroe recorded 20 points and 8 rebounds in the win over the Dragons. They travel to Orlando to compete in the loaded Old Spice Classic.

8. Syracuse (3-0)-It's a big week for the Orange. They compete in the CBE classic against Florida and then against either Washington or Kansas. After that Virginia comes to town. Syracuse has looked good so far against inferior competition.

9. West Virginia (2-0)-West Virginia heads out to Las Vegas to face Iowa and then either Kansas State or Kentucky. Devin Ebanks has underperformed his ranking so far but fellow freshman Daryl "Truck" Bryant has looked fantastic.

10. Cincinnati (3-0)- Cincinnati's big game this week will come on November 28 as they face Florida State at home. Although they have not faced anyone notable, the Bearcats have looked solid and are my surprise team to be in contention for an NCAA bid. Remember that last year they started out 8-5 in the Big East before losing the final five games.

11. Seton Hall (4-1)-Scored a big win over USC in the Puerto Rico Tip-off. They did not have Robert "Stix" Mitchell available for that game or the game versus Memphis but he came back for finale against Virginia Tech. Seton Hall is clearly depleted depth-wise but have some solid talent on board.

12. DePaul (2-0)-It has been two close games so far for the Blue Demons. They defeated Albany and UIC to start the season. It's not a big surprise that they have been led by Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal. Will Walker had two real nice games this week and may have emerged as a legitimate third option.

13. Rutgers (3-1)-Rutgers lost a tough game to St. Bonaventure at the RAC. Freshman Greg Echenique and Mike Rosario have looked impressive so far. Rutgers will not face a big conference school until December 28 when they face North Carolina.

14. Providence (3-1)- Keno Davis' squad rebounded well after a loss to Northeastern in the opener. They have been scoring in bunches and may be getting adjusted to the new system. They head out to California to play in the Anaheim Classic. It will provide a tough test for this group.

15. St. John's (3-1)- St. John's biggest loss of the week did not come in the standings. They lost Anthony Mason Jr. for the season and that could be devastating for the Red Storm. DJ Kennedy will be asked to pick up much of the load in his absence.

16. South Florida (1-1)-South Florida lost a tough game to Virginia. They don't have any tests this week and are waiting until the semester ends. Why, you might ask? Because Mike Mercer and Augustus Gilchrist become eligible and should be major factors for the Bulls this season.

2009 Big East Recruiting Rankings: Early Signing Period Edition

Alex Jesswein — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:17:06 -0500

The 2009 early signing period concluded and the Big East hauled in a number of highly ranked recruits. All rankings are from Scout.com

1. Villanova Wildcats

Who they signed: Maalik Wayns No. 4 PG, No. 26 Overall
            Mouphtauo Yarou No. 10 PF, No. 28 Overall
        Isaiah Armwood No. 12 PF, No. 31 Overall

Analysis: Jay Wright landed a star-studded class for 2009. Traditionally known as a guard school, ‘Nova will be a force in the Big East thanks in large part to Armwood and Yarou. They add size to a team loaded with quality guards and throw in one of the top floor generals in the country. They are still in the mix for top-15 player Dominic Cheek, who is going to sign in the spring. Even without Cheek, this class is the cream of the crop in the Big East and is also a top-five class nationally.

2.    Marquette Golden Eagles
Who they signed:    Junior Cadougan No. 5 PG, No. 50 Overall
        Jeronne Maymon No. 26 PF, No. 75 Overall
        Erik Williams No. 21 SF, No. 95 Overall
        Dwight Buycks NR
        Brett Roseboro NR

Analysis: Buzz Williams hauled in a gem of a class in his first year at the helm in Milwaukee. He almost had to in order to stay competitive in the Big East. He is losing the trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews. Cadougan should start immediately and Buycks plays a similar style to McNeal. Maymon and Williams provide length on the wing and Roseboro is a developing lefty. Marquette is still looking at local prospect Jamil Wilson. He is a versatile player who has a huge upside.

3.    Connecticut Huskies
Who they signed:    Alex Oriakhi No. 4 C, No. 14 Overall
        Jamaal Coombs No. 17 SF, No. 81 Overall

Analysis: With Jeff Adrian graduating and Hasheem Thabeet likely to enter the NBA draft, a bruising post player was a need for the Huskies and they got their man, Alex Oriakhi. He is going to be a force in the Big East much like Adrian is. Coombs adds size and length on the wing and should contribute right away. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Connecticut go after another center in the spring if Thabeet leaves.

4.    Louisville Cardinals
Who they signed:    Rakeem Buckles No. 17 PF, No. 48 Overall
        Peyton Siva No. 7 PG, No. 54 Overall
        Stephan Van Treese NR
        Mike Marra NR

Analysis: The Cardinals landed another top class this year after hauling in Scout’s fourth ranked class last year. Buckles is an extremely athletic four man who has some perimeter skills. Siva is capable of scoring in bunches. Van Treese will provide some size and strength down low and Marra is an excellent shooter. This is a really solid and well-balanced class. With Terrance Williams leaving, Louisville will be looking for someone to pick up the scoring, perhaps one of the freshman.

5.    Georgetown Hoyas
Who they signed:    Hollis Thompson No. 7 SF, No. 34 Overall
        DaShonte Riley No. 9 C, No. 57 Overall

Analysis: Georgetown has two really, really, solid players in this class. This class may be underrated due to the fact they signed two players. Thompson oozes with potential, but has some work to do on his perimeter shot. Riley is another long-term prospect that could contribute down the road. Georgetown had the luxury of not needing impact players right away and the players they got could be stars down the road.

6.    Pittsburgh Panthers
Who they signed:    Dante Taylor, #5 PF, #17 Overall
        Lamar Patterson #19 SF, #93 Overall
        J.J. Richardson NR
        Talib Zanna, NR

Analysis: Pittsburgh is expected to lose some size this year and Jamie Dixon did an excellent job of addressing that problem. Taylor is an absolute beast in the paint and other Big East teams are not looking forward to seeing him paired alongside DaJuan Blair. Patterson is a solid wing player who is in the mold of past Pitt players due to his toughness. Richardson and Zanna are long-term prospects at this point. Pittsburgh is still in the mix for highly rated guard Dominic Cheek.

7.    West Virginia Mountaineers
Who they signed:    Dalton Pepper #30 SG
        Dan Jennings #23 C
        Deniz Kilicli NR

Analysis: West Virginia signed arguably the biggest unknown in the class. Deniz Kilicli, who hails from Turkey, is attending Mountain State Academy in West Virginia. He had many high major schools lining up for his services this fall. That being said, not many talent evaluators have had a chance to see him but the early word is that he is a big time player. Pepper is an undervalued wing that should fit in nicely in the Mountaineers offense. Jennings adds toughness and a mean streak in the paint.

8.    Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Who they signed:    Tom Knight #35 C
        Mike Broghammer NR
        Jack Cooley #24 C
        Joey Brooks NR

Analysis: Mike Brey seems to be preparing himself for the loss of Luke Harandgody. Cooley fits that same mold. He is tough in the paint and is physically ready to battle in the Big East. Broghammer and Knight are both tough in the paint, but neither play above the rim. Brooks is a combo guard who has size (6’5”) to be disruptive defensively.

9.    Providence Friars
Who they signed:    James Still #34 C
        Kyle Wright NR
        Kadeem Batts NR
        Duke Mondy NR
        Johnnie Lacy #12 PG

Analysis: Providence is losing four key players from the 08-09 team, including three starters. They had big shoes to fill and it will be interesting to see how Keno Davis can mold a new group together. Still is a lanky post player that has a high ceiling. Batts is known for his back to the basket game. Mondy is a well-rounded scorer that can shoot, as well as score by going to the rim. Wright, a lengthy wing, will provide experience in this class. Lacy is a big time scorer that can really fill it up from anywhere on the court.

10.    Syracuse Orange
Who they signed:    Brandon Triche NR


Analysis: Syracuse didn’t need much for the 2009 class and they landed some good, but not spectacular players. The only concern for the Orange is if ultra-talented point guard Johnny Flynn decides to go pro. Triche is a combo guard who can fill in at the point or the shooting guard. James Southerland is an athletic wing that had to prep this year due to academics. He is expected to sign in the spring

11.    Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Who they signed:    Dane Miller NR
        Austin Johnson NR

Analysis: Rutgers landed a McDonalds All-American last year, as well as a top-50 big man. This year their signees are not as highly regarded. Miller, who some believe to be undervalued, is an athletic wing who can get to the rim and hit open jumpers. Johnson should be a nice compliment to Echenique in the paint. Rutgers also has an outside shot at shooting guard Dominic Cheek.

12.    Saint John's Red Storm
Who they signed:    Omari Lawrence #22 SG
        Dwight Hardy NR

Analysis: Norm Roberts is on the hot seat and needed to land a quality class. Omari Lawrence is a local talent who will be able to step in and score right away. Hardy, a junior college transfer, comes from a good program and a great coach. He should provide another backcourt option for the Red Storm. The big fish is still out there, though, as Lance Stephenson will sign in the spring. He may end up going to Europe, but if St. John’s could land him, it could resurrect the program

13.    South Florida Bulls
Who they signed:    Jordan Dumars NR
        Shaun Noriega NR

Analysis: South Florida has taken in a couple of high major transfers the past few seasons (Mike Mercer and Augustus Gilchrist). With this class they were looking for role players to surround the big names. Jordan Dumars, the son of ex-NBA player Joe, is a skilled wing that can play inside and out. Noriega is a pure shooter from deep who shoots best of the catch. They are also in the top three for power forward Keith Clanton.

14.    DePaul Blue Demons
Who they signed:    Tony Freeland NR
        Mike Stovall NR

Analysis: DePaul has a couple of rising stars on their roster, Mac Koshwal and Dar Tucker. Jerry Wainwright will need these guys to really step up in order to keep his job. Stovall and Freeland should provide some depth, but you would think that with all of the talent in Illinois, Wainwright has underachieved big time in recruiting. Freeland is an undersized post that finds ways to get it done. Stovall is a JUCO transfer that has size to play both shooting guard and small forward.

15.    Cincinnati Bearcats
Who they signed:     Sean Kilpatrick, NR

Analysis: With only one scholarship senior on the roster, Mick Cronin did not have much to work with. Kilpatrick is a solid, but not spectacular player. With the nice class that the Bearcats landed last year, not much was expected for this year. The Bearcats are one of the up and coming teams in the big east.

16. Seton Hall Pirates

Who they signed: No one

Analysis: What the heck is Bobby Gonzalez thinking? He has four open scholarships and zero players signed. His experiment of landing transfers and trying to get them eligible immediately failed. If he wants to keep a job for long he is going to have to recruit better, a whole lot better. I just heard word on Wednesday night that they have received a commitment from Cliff Dixon, a 6’9” post player from Hutchinson Community College.

Signing Superlatives
Best Player: Alex Oriakhi-Connecticut
Best Shooter: Mike Marra-Louisville
Best Passer: Maalik Wayns-Villanova
Best Rebounder: Dante Taylor-Pittsburgh
Best Shot-Blocker: Alex Oriakhi-Connecticut
Top Floor General: Junior Cadougan-Marquette
Biggest Sleeper: James Still-Providence
Best Junior College Player: Dwight Buycks-Marquette
Most Athletic: Rakeem Buckles-Louisville
Most NBA Potential: Hollis Thompson-Georgetown
Top Defender: Alex Oriakhi-Connecticut
Best Mid Range Shooter: Dalton Pepper-West Virginia
Best Low Block Scorer: Mouphtauo Yarou-Villanova

Big East Basketball Power Rankings: Week One

Alex Jesswein — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:24:06 -0500

A few teams have been in action so far this season, so this is a combination of my preseason thoughts along with the results of those games mixed in.

1. Connecticut (1-0)

2. Louisville (0-0)

3. Pittsburgh (1-0)

4. Notre Dame (1-0)

5. Marquette (1-0)

6. Villanova (1-0)

7. Georgetown (0-0)

8. Syracuse (1-0)

9. West Virginia (1-0)

10. Cincinnati (1-0)

11. Rutgers (2-0)

12. Providence (0-1)

13. Seton Hall (2-0)

14. DePaul (0-0)

15. St. John's (1-0)

16. South Florida (1-0)

Marquette Game Preview: Chicago State

Alex Jesswein — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:45:39 -0500

When: Monday, Nov. 16, 2008, 8:00 PM Central
Where: Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI
TV/Radio: TW Sports 32, ESPN Full Court, ESPN360.com, 540 ESPN Milwaukee
Last Meeting: Marquette won 102-49 on Nov. 18, 2001

This game is the first of four in the Chicago Invitational. Marquette takes on Texas Southern in Milwaukee next Tuesday before heading to Hoffman Estates, Illinois to face Northern Iowa and Dayton.

Chicago State returns their top four scorers from a year ago, including David Holston, who is the second-leading scorer in the nation among returning players.

PROJECTED STARTERS

Mike Wilson is a 6’1” guard who started 17 of 27 games in the 2007-2008 season. Wilson seems to be a glue guy that does a little bit of everything. In Chicago State’s opening win over St. Xavier, he took just four shots but tallied four points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 15 minutes of action.

David Holston is undoubtedly the leader of this team. He averaged 23.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game last season while shooting over 40 percent from three-point range. Don’t let his small stature (5’8”) fool you. He is a big-time scorer who had 32 points, seven assists, and five steals in their first game. Of those 32 points, 27 came from three-pointers.

Holston is ultra quick, and I would imagine that Marquette would put Dominic James on him. Here is a highlight clip to give you a feel for Holston’s game.

John Cantrell rounds out Chicago State’s three-guard lineup. He is their second option behind Holston. Last season he averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game for the Cougars. In the opener, he had 15 points on 6 of 13 shooting. He is 6’2”, so I would have to guess that McNeal would defend him.

Tawrence Walton is one of Chicago State’s frontcourt starters. He is a little undersized at 6’6” and 195 pounds, but he has the ability to play inside and out. Walton had 10 points and seven rebounds in the opener. He started 10 of 27 games last season.

It will be interesting to see how he matches up with Lazar Hayward. I would imagine that Hayward would try to take advantage of him in the post.

Carl Montgomery had a perfect night from the field and the free throw line against St. Xavier. He was 8-8 from the field and 7-7 from the stripe. In addition to his 23 points, he hauled in 12 rebounds and blocked three shots.

Just a sophomore, Montgomery is a 6’7”, 220-lb. forward. It will be interesting to see how close Montgomery can come to equaling those numbers against better competition.

Marquette Lands Prized Recruiting Class

Alex Jesswein — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:32:31 -0500

MILWAUKEE- Marquette Head Coach Buzz Williams announced the team’s 2009 recruiting class on Tuesday. The five-player class consists of JUCO transfer Dwight Buycks and incoming freshmen Junior Cadougan, Erik Williams, Jeronne Maymon, and Brett Roseboro.

The class checks in at No. 2 in the country according to Hoopmasters and Hoopscoop, while it ranks 14th and 15th by Rivals and Scout respectively.

Originally from Milwaukee, Buycks was named a NJCAA Division 1 Preseason First Team All-American at Indian Hills CC in Iowa. Last Season, Buycks averaged 15.7 points per game for Indian Hills.

Coach Williams looks for the 6’3” wing player to contribute immediately due to his experience.

“Dwight arguably is the best junior college guard in the country,” he said. “He is very, very skilled. He has a great spirit about how he plays. He is a very good leader.”

Cadougan, a 6’1” point guard, is a consensus top 75 player at Christian Life Academy in Texas, and Coach Williams considered the Canadian-born Cadougan a critical part of his recruiting class.

“Junior is not only a point guard, he’s a true point guard,” he said. “And I think that’s vital to signing a five member class up until this moment, having a guy that can run the point guard from start to finish. And I think that he will have an opportunity to play heavy minutes right away.”

Erik Williams, another Texan, committed to the Golden Eagles last October and stuck with his commitment after Buzz Williams replaced Tom Crean as coach. The consensus on this versatile player is that he has tremendous upside. In his junior campaign, Williams averaged 18.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game.

“We want to recruit guys that can pass, dribble, and shoot with toughness being the number one priority on both ends [of the court]. And Erik represents that because he can do a lot of different things and I think he has a very high ceiling and he is going to continue to progress.”

Maymon, a 6’6”, 230-pound forward from Madison, Wisc., was the first player to commit to Coach Williams after he assumed the head coach position. His future coach believes Maymon has surpassed anybody’s expectations and will contribute right away for the Golden Eagles.

“His body is Big East physically ready to compete. He is similar to Erik in that I think he can do a lot of different things. He’s been compared to [NBA player] Ron Artest. I don’t like to compare our players to any other players, but he is very, very talented on both ends [of the court]. I think he brings a level of toughness [and] that from the first day he will be able to contribute.”

Maymon put on a dominating performance at the state tournament last season where he averaged 30.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, 3.7 steals, and 3.0 assists per game.

Roseboro, a 6’10” forward from Quakertown, Pa., was the Golden Eagles’ most recent commit. He flew under the radar of most recruiters, but gained recognition this fall in the IS8 league in New York.

Coach Williams thinks Roseboro is another player with a high ceiling.

“He still has work in front of him like all of us do, but the determination that he goes about it with, I believe, will allow him to progress farther than any of us know as of now. He doesn’t know where he’s at quite yet physically. He’s not quite sure what he needs to do on the court in a lot of ways. On the flip side of that, he has a great skill set, he can really run the floor, he’s another left handed player (along with Maymon). “

These five players will be counted on to contribute early in their careers due to the loss of four key seniors after this season.

“In many respects they are all Big East ready and will all have to make an impact from the first day they arrive.”