Marquette Basketball

Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Buzz Williams doesn’t shy away from his actions on the sideline during a contest. Apparently, he doesn’t mind rubbing it into the opponent’s fans' faces after erasing a 15-point second-half deficit either.

After completing the comeback at West Virginia 61-60, Williams decided to do a little shuffle at center court as he was heading over to the announce table for an after-game interview. The student section, seated behind where Williams was headed, didn’t like the "two-step" whatsoever.

I love how Williams coaches because his kids play exactly like what he portrays: tough, gritty type of basketball. They compete unlike any other team in the nation. 

But dancing at center court wasn’t necessary.

I realize that Williams was probably ecstatic, because not only did he send a message to his team by suspending Darius Johnson-Odom, Junior Cadougan and Vander Blue for a half, but he also picked up a Big East Conference road victory after being down double figures. That's something to be happy about. However, professionalism is to be expected out of a coach at this level. Williams showed a lack of judgment, and it angered the fans of the Mountaineers.

Not like their fans were respectful either, but we expect this from a college atmosphere. Some schools are handled more appropriately, but we understand what 18 to 22-year-old kids will do during the course of a game. 

Williams, on the other hand, should know better. This could have easily been a bigger story if it got out of hand.

What if one of those fans would have actually tried to attack Williams? You never know what people will do in times like that.

Luckily for college basketball, nothing happened. It was just a lapse of judgment by Williams and a dance that, hopefully, we never see again. 

It's almost time to go dancing. But, you can't forget the pregame. 

This year's Marquette Golden Eagles basketball team is one of the best in the school's history. Even without the help of big men Chris Otule and Davante Gardner, the Golden Eagles continue to roll and look to keep their winning steak going.

The team has won four straight and 11 of its last 12. The team looks poised to put on a show against Georgetown for Senior Night. But, the team needs to take care of business first, as two trap games loom in the week before the game. 

The first is against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Mountaineers have not been playing well recently, losing six of their last eight—three coming from ranked opponents. This is the last chance the Mountaineers get to play a ranked team, and are looking to make a statement that they still deserve to be in March Madness.

A win against Marquette would be the best way to start the final home stand of the year. 

Marquette's other trap game is against Cincinnati, the team Marquette embarrassed on National Marquette Day. Marquette put up 95 in the 17-point win. Cincinnati has been on a three-game winning streak since the loss, with the latest being a four-point win over No. 17 Louisville.

The Bearcats are going to use the momentum to come out to a fast start, and will be looking all game to exact revenge. The Bearcats are the definition of a bubble team, and a win over Marquette would be huge for their resume and would almost guarantee them a ticket to the Big Dance. 

Marquette is a lock for a high seed in both the Big East and March Madness thanks to Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder, arguably the best tandem in college basketball. They have carried this team to the finish line, and want to go out with a bang. The two are more motivated than ever to beat Georgetown on Senior Night at home.

However, a single loss to either West Virginia or Cincinatti would hurt even more than any Georgetown loss would. The Golden Eagles need to focus on these two games before setting their sights on the Georgetown game.

Marquette looks to be dancing with the cheerleader. A loss to West Virginia or Cincinnati would cause Marquette to end up in the friend zone. 

The Louisville Cardinals (14-4) and Marquette Golden Eagles (14-4) get the college basketball slate off to an early Martin Luther King Jr. Day start on Monday afternoon. The Big East clash will feature two of the conference's dark-horse contenders.

Louisville has gotten off to a sluggish start in league play after an impressive non-conference run that included a win over Vanderbilt. Getting back on track against the Golden Eagles would go a long way in ensuring the Cardinals don't let a great start slip away.

It's been a similar story for Marquette. The Golden Eagles did pick up a nice win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, though, so it will be interesting to see if they can build off that performance. Consistency, especially on the defensive end, will be the key for them moving forward.

Where: Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis.

When: Monday, Jan. 16 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN and ESPN3.com

Listen: WKRD 790 AM (Louisville) and ESPN Radio 540 AM (Marquette)

Betting Line: Marquette -4.5

Key Injuries (via USA Today)

Louisville: F Stephen Van Treese (out, knee), G Mike Marra (out, knee), G Kyle Kuric (doubtful, ankle), G Wayne Blackshear (questionable, shoulder) and C Gorgui Dieng (probable, neck)

Marquette: C Chris Otule (out, knee)

What's At Stake?

Both teams didn't get off to the Big East start they were hoping for, which makes today's game crucial so they don't fall too far behind the leaders. The conference is one of the nation's strongest once again this season, so the last thing either team wants is to get stuck at the bottom before tournament time.

What They're Saying

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino says streaky guard Russ Smith will continue to play a key role for the team as they attempt to bounce back, based on a report from FOX Sports.

"All I want Russ to do is play defense hard," Pitino said. "If he starts evaluating what's a good shot and what is a bad shot you take away his skill level. Our offense is Russ Smith playing in the middle of a playground in Queens."

Yahoo Sports passed along a funny quote from Marquette's Buzz Williams, who had to get starting guard Junior Cadougan refocused after an incident on Saturday. Cadougan is expected to be fine for today's contest.

“I said, ‘Junior, we need you to play. You can throw up after the game.’ Down the stretch he was big-time.”—Marquette coach Buzz Williams, to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, on the play of G Junior Cadougan, who came back after vomiting in a huddle, in the victory over Pittsburgh.

Louisville Player to Watch: Chris Smith

Since the status of leading scorer Kyle Kuric is up in the air, the onus will be on other players to step up if he's forced to miss another game. That includes Smith, who scored 20 points and knocked down four three pointers against DePaul.

The senior continues to be a reliable backcourt presence for the Cardinals but will need to step up even more if they want to be a legitimate threat in the Big East. The talent is there, now it's all about bringing it to the court on a nightly basis.

Marquette Player to Watch: Jae Crowder

Even though teammate Darius Johnson-Odom gets most of the attention, Crowder is having a very good season in his own right. The senior forward is averaging 16 points and seven rebounds for the Golden Eagles this season.

Since Marquette doesn't have much depth, it can't afford for Crowder to have many off nights. He should pose a matchup problem for Louisville and, if he can exploit it, should have no problem leading his team to a vital victory.

Key Matchup: Russ Smith vs. Darius Johnson-Odom

With two guards that love to shoot as much as these two guys, it should be a terrific back-and-forth battle. Pitino continues to pump confidence into Smith with hopes of him finding his shooting stroke, and Johnson-Odom is the most important Golden Eagle.

Whichever player can gain the edge in this matchup will give his team a major advantage and likely the all-important win in the standings. I expect that to be Johnson-Odom, who will step up in a thrilling game to put it away late.

Prediction

Marquette 71, Louisville 65

On Thursday it was announced that Golden Eagles redshirt junior center Chris Otule had a left ACL injury. How long Otule will miss has yet been determined, but, given the historical nature of ACL injuries, he won’t be back for a while.

Then on Friday Marquette learned that freshman forward Juan Anderson would miss three to four weeks with a right shoulder injury.

These setbacks for the No. 11 Marquette Golden Eagles (8-0), however, will allow a team that has been proclaimed Buzz Williams’ deepest squad in this, his fourth year as Marquette head coach, a chance to prove the point.

With Otule out, Marquette loses its starting center.

Otule has started every game thus far this season and leads the team with 13 blocks through the first eight games. He provided a stable defensive force inside that made opponents think twice about entering the lane.

In his absence, sophomore forward Davante Gardner should expect to see more minutes in his new starting role. At 6’8” and 290 pounds, he is large enough to play with the Big East’s post players.

Where Marquette will really miss Otule is on the defensive end—where Gardner struggles. Gardner is known as an offensive player who can score in bunches, and it is Otule who’s the defensive stopper who struggles on the offensive end of the floor.

Gardner is slower and doesn't have the rebounding capabilities that Otule does. But Gardner's big paws typically have stick 'em on them when a rebound comes his way.

The sophomore struggles when he goes against long defenders or has to defend long, athletic posts—all areas Otule is more advanced than Gardner in.

But it won’t just be Gardner who replaces Otule. Gardner averages 14 minutes per game and will see an increase, but his minutes per game should only jump to about 20 a game.

Redshirt sophomore forward Jamil Wilson and senior forward Jae Crowder will also see more minutes.

Wilson is second on the team with nine blocks, and at 6’7” can play inside or out. His greatest contributions to the Golden Eagles have been on the defensive end. While he’s not as large as Otule, he can provide shot-blocking like Otule.

Crowder already averages 27.9 minutes per game, but with Otule out, it should turn into a three-man rotation at power forward and center with Wilson, Gardner and him. Crowder should creep nearer to the 30 minutes per game range.

With regards to Anderson, his presence will not be missed nearly as much.

Since his suspension over the first three games of the season, he has played a mere 16 minutes in five contests.

He did make major contributions in Marquette’s 61-54 victory over Wisconsin, however. He had five rebounds, one block, an assist and a big reverse layup that was part of a Marquette 6-0 run to open up a 47-40 lead with 10:45 left in the game.

A whole plethora of players will see more minutes with Anderson out, as Marquette’s roster is filled with players who can play the small forward position. Sophomore Vander Blue, freshman Todd Mayo, sophomore Jamail Jones and Wilson are all players who could see increased minutes.

With all the odds stacked against them, this is the type of situation where the Golden Eagles have excelled in the previous three years under Williams.

We’ll have to see if that’s the case. The show begins Saturday evening with Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Marquette (8-0) faced its biggest test on Tuesday night as the Golden Eagles took on the Washington Huskies in Madison Square Garden as part of the Jimmy V Classic. 

It was a close game, closer than expected, and stayed close throughout the entire game. Washington (4-3) came to play and gave Marquette a run for their money. 

After a back-and-forth second half, Marquette took a timeout with 1:24 left to go in the game and the score tied at 75. 

After Washington's Aziz N'Diaye blocked a Marquette shot, the Huskies went down the court, turned the ball over and then fouled Marquette's Darius Johnson-Odom. He made one of two free throws to put the Golden Eagles up by one, 76-75. 

The Huskies took the ball down the court and didn't wait to put a shot up with 0:19 left, which was a made jumper by Terrence Ross. Washington was up by one, 77-76. 

Marquette took the ball down the court and swung it to Jae Crowder in the corner, who put up a three-pointer. Good! 79-77, Marquette. Seven seconds left.

Washington inbounded, scrambled around and put up a desperate three-pointer that deflected awkwardly off the backboard. Game over. 79-77, Marquette. 

Top Performers:

Washington: 

Terrence Ross: 19 PTS 9 REB 

C.J. Wilcox: 15 PTS 4 BLK

Marquette: 

Darius Johnson-Odom: 23 PTS 4 AST

Jae Crowder: 18 PTS 6 REB

What It Means for Both Teams

Washington: The Huskies showed up on Tuesday night, and they looked great. They dominated the boards 41-28, 13 of which were pulled in by forward Aziz N'Diaye. Their defense was strong and resilient, and their offense was as good as ever, with four Huskies scoring in double figures. 

Washington now falls to 4-3 on the year and plays their toughest opponent of the year, No. 5 Duke, this Saturday, December 10. Even if the Huskies fall to 4-4 after a loss to Duke, they will still be a strong contender for the Pac-12 title. 

Marquette: Marquette struggled a little on Tuesday night. After beating No. 7 Wisconsin, the Golden Eagles were set to roll past Washington, but it wasn't so. In fact, it seemed as though Washington controlled the tempo for a good portion of the game. 

However, Marquette remained competitive for the entire duration of the game. It wasn't as though Marquette played poorly (in fact, they played well), it was just a great basketball game with two relentless opponents. 

The most positive display of Tuesday night's game was Marquette's clutch performance and the ability to stay composed in a high-pressure situation with the game on the line. 

All-American football player at Notre Dame. Professional football player in the NFL from 1985 to 1993. Law degree from San Diego Law School in 1992. University of Portland athletic director. Those are just some of the accomplishments that Larry Williams is bringing to Marquette as their new athletic director. President Scott Pilarz S.J., sent an email to all students at 9 p.m. announcing the decision to hire Williams.

Williams is set to begin his role as athletic director on January 2, 2012, reporting mainly to President Scott Pilarz. A press conference is scheduled for tomorrow on campus to formally announce the hiring. 

The hiring comes after Marquette launched a search committee that looked at more than 80 candidates for the position. While at Portland, Williams helped oversee a women's soccer national championship in 2005 and several improvements in sports, like baseball and basketball. This seems to fit perfectly for Marquette as the women's soccer team comes off an impressive season where they went 18-4-0, and the basketball team finds itself in the middle of the entire conference carousel with the Big East. 

Marquette is the Jesuit university of Milwaukee, so it doesn't hurt to have a Jesuit background. Williams' son attends St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. Little Williams is being recruited for football and just won the state championship in Ohio. 

Williams has a football background with his experience at Notre Dame and in the NFL, but if you believe that's any sign of Marquette possibly starting a football team, do not get your hopes up. Fr. Pilarz said at the beginning of the school year that as long as he is president, there will not be a football program at Marquette. 

While playing in the NFL, Williams received a law degree from San Diego Law School. A spectacular feat for an athlete while still competing. 

Note: You are mistaken if you think that men's basketball head coach, Buzz Williams, and Larry Williams are related. Looks like one will have to take on the role of Coach Williams and the other Mr. Williams. It is pretty clear who is who...even though they are both bald.

Earlier in the week, I asked my buddy and fellow Marquette alum Gonzo if he thought Wisconsin losing a close one to the No. 1-ranked UNC Tar Heels on Wednesday was a good thing or a bad thing for Marquette, a team that had been dormant with an academic week.

I still don’t know the answer to that question, but I did get a firm answer to another one on Saturday—a question that was punctuated with a scorching last-minute Todd Mayo dunk to continue Marquette’s undefeated season in an upset against No. 9 Wisconsin and the Kohl Center Grateful Red.

The question was whether or not we can safely say that coach Buzz Williams has crafted a dynasty in downtown Milwaukee. 

And in case the subtext didn’t tip you off, the answer was “Yes.”

Yeah, I get that it’s a little premature in the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball season to start making predictions, but Marquette will likely break into the Top Ten after this game, their first real test of the season—and rankings are by no means the only thing the Warriors have going for them right now.

Marquette Buzz

I call Marquette the “Warriors,” not with any disrespect to the institution or any parties involved in their mascot and name change from the Warriors to the Golden Eagles years ago. I call them “Warriors” because of the tenacity of this team; I call them “Warriors” because it’s truth that seeing such a young men’s basketball team gel so early in the season is mighty rare.

I call them “Warriors” because all I can think of when I watch Marquette play is that if the NBA lockout continued, these guys could have all been signed to one franchise and made a run at becoming the first SCAB champions of our time.

I call them the “Warriors” because of their fierce, bald and chubby leader Buzz Williams and the tenacity he brings to the organization with every self-inflicted hoarse voice after a competition.  The fierceness that comes with a coach so in love with contact sports that he refers to shooting free throws as “special teams.” (See the video.)

No, Saturday’s win wasn’t the only thing Marquette has going for them this season despite it being their first 2011 limelight matchup against a top-ten team—a top-ten team with a mind-blowing 155-12 record at home over the past 11 seasons under coach Bo Ryan. 

Buzz Williams has already lined up a tremendous recruit in Steve Taylor, a 6'8" forward from Chicago's Simeon High School who’s considered one of Illinois’ top high school players. A recruit who will likely join Madison native and Madison-booed Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan, Davante Gardner, Todd Mayo and the rest of the outstanding, young Williams-wooed Warrior squad who won’t graduate in 2012.

Not How Your Mom Would Raise a Basketball Team

Speaking of Cadougan, Marquette chose to dominate Wisconsin without their point guard. Coach Williams suspended him for one game because of an unnamed team violation, a violation Williams described as a “mistake [that] didn’t hurt anyone, but it’s not how his mother raised him.”

But for now, the story is Todd Mayo. 

While ever-reliable senior Darius Johnson-Odom (DJO) led Marquette with 17 points and a steaming jump shot, the freshman Mayo, brother of O.J., contributed 14 of his own, including one pivotal score in a high-arching layup that sucked all the steam out of a desperate charge lead by Wisconsin guard Jordan Taylor that was the Badger’s best chance of getting back in the game.

Bring out the Hellman’s.  Bring out the Best.

I’d say Mayo is playing like butter, but it’s a bit more like Miracle Whip. 

Nothing in this contest was as creamy, smooth, fatty and decadent as his exclamation-point dunk that murdered any hope in the hearts of the Grateful Red after a Ben Brust three-pointer brought the Badgers within four points with a minute left on the clock.

That’s right, ring up two comeback killers in one contest, in one of the toughest stadiums, in front of one of the loudest home crowds, in spite of one of the most amazing home records in all of college basketball and against a No. 9 ranked Wisconsin team.

Bring out the Hellman’s.  Bring out the best.

With such a young team gelling so well and so quickly, and with contributions from Mayo, Vander Blue and team-leading seniors DJO and Jae Crowder, Marquette has a lot to look forward to the rest of the 2011 season and certainly in the future—at least for the next few tournaments and likely as long as Buzz is in charge.

The Warriors will face off against Washington on Tuesday night in New York at the Jimmy V Classic.  Wisconsin will take on Green Bay on Wednesday in an attempt to improve their 11-season Kohl Center home record to 156-13. 

The zone defense was Marquette’s Achilles’ heel in the 2010-2011 campaign and proved to be nearly fatal at the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands Monday evening.

Nonetheless, the No. 16 (AP)/No. 17 (ESPN) Golden Eagles (5-0) won a tournament for the first time with Buzz Williams as head coach.

But despite the 95-73 victory over Winthrop in the first round and the 96-66 victory over Ole Miss in the second round, many were left with a sour taste in their mouths after the 59-57 championship-game victory over Norfolk State—a team Marquette had dismantled 99-68 on November 14.

The Golden Eagles never trailed during their time in the Virgin Islands. But it shouldn’t have been as exciting of a finish as it was.

Up 27-11 with 7:30 left in the first half against Norfolk State, it looked like Marquette would extend to five its streak of winning games by 20-plus points.

But Norfolk State had tricks up its sleeves.

Having already played Marquette once this year, and having seen it operate as a well-lubricated offensive machine in the first 12:30 of this game, Norfolk State decided to switch out of the man-to-man defense that Marquette had diced its way through and shift to the zone.

In the first meeting between the two teams, Marquette hit 53.2 percent (33-of-62) of its field goals and 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from beyond the arc.

On Monday, Williams’ squad hit only 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from the field and 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from deep in the second half, when it competed against a strict zone defense.

Against the zone defense, traditionally, Williams’ teams assume the fetal position. The player movement and crisp passing that make his teams so effective offensively turn into a stagnant and motionless offense.

The highly contested game, and the first experience against the zone for Williams’ 2011-2012 squad, will serve as a great learning tool for Marquette.  After four straight 20-plus point victories, it was a good sign to see that Marquette can handle itself with the game on the line.

Hopefully Williams and his coaching staff spend additional practice time working against a zone defense. They are certain to see it again this season.