NCAA Basketball Preview for 1/10/11- Notre Dame Travels to Marquette

Notre Dame and Marquette are both offensively explosive basketball teams, but both score in different ways. 

MARQUETTE

Marquette likes to fly up and down the court using their speed and quickness. 

Darius Johnson-Odom leads the way.  He averages 15.9 points per game.  In the halfcourt game Odom utilizes an effective pump fake when he's positioned outside the three-point line.  He shoots the ball at a respectable 35-percent beyond the arc.  If his defender plays back he launches the shot.  If his defender plays tight, Odom uses the pump-fake to get around the defender and to the tin.  He is explosive.

6-foot-7 forward Jimmy Butler is the Golden Eagles best option in the interior.  Butler's filled in quite nicely for the departed Lazar Hayward who's now in the NBA.  Butler is a versatile player who's averaged 15.1 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game. 

The x-factor in this one is the freshman Vander Blue.  He's a good perimeter defender who'll be needed against a fantastic three-point shooting team in the Irish.  Marquette currently ranks last in the Big East in defending the three-point shot (38.5 percent).

NOTRE DAME

Marquette likes to fly; Notre Dame likes to let it fly from deep.  They shoot it at a 37.7 percent clip.

Guard Ben Hansbrough and forward Tim Abromaitis are excellent beyond the arc as they both stroke it over 40 plus percent.  Marquette is a pesky defense who look to pressure and force turnovers.  Hansbrough must take care of the ball.

The Irish have missed Carleton Scott who'll be out an additional month

PREDICTION- ND- 83-79

Notre Dame is looking for their second consecutive win at Marquette; the Irish lost their only Big East road game to Syracuse. 

Marquette comes in with an 0-4 mark against top 25 teams.

The Notre Dame outside shooting against a poor defending perimeter team in Marquette will lead to a Notre Dame road win.

THE BEST OF THE REST

With the college football BCS Title Game being played tonight, the college basketball slate is quite small.

There are some interesting matchups at the "mid-mid" major level.

MEAC:

Hampton 12-3 (2-0) at Morgan State 6-7 (2-0)

I'll take the defending MEAC Champs at home

Morg St: 62-56

A-Sun:

Jacksonville 10-3 (4-0) at Belmont 12-3 (5-0)

The only two squads undefeated in A-Sun play square off.  Jacksonville upset Florida in Gainesville earlier on this year, but I'll take Belmont at home.

Bel: 77-73

OVC:

Austin Peay 11-6 (5-0) at Tennessee Martin 4-12 (0-5) 

Austin Peay has an early two game lead in the OVC; this could be a trap game, but I expect Austin Peay to prevail.

AP: 76-66

A-Sun:

Stetson 5-10 (3-2) East Tennessee State 9-7 (4-1)

ETSU's Mike Smith is a beast!

ETSU- 81-65

A-East:

Stony Brook 6-8 (1-1) at Binghamton 4-10 (1-0)

Stony Brook were the preseason favorite to win the America East.  This is a road win they have to get.

SB: 58-51

CHECK BACK IN LATER TONIGHT AS I WILL BE DOING A RECAP OF THE ENTIRE NIGHT IN COLLEGE HOOPS.