M Club Hall of Fame Videos

Video vignettes of the M Club Hall of Fame Inductions.


2002-03 MU Men's Basketball Final Four Team Induction Video


Dwyane Wade Induction Video



Bill Cords Induction Video

The Wayback Machine shows the road ahead

With the NBA draft deadline passing earlier this week a host of very early pre-season rankings are popping up for the college basketball-starved. For Marquette the pattern is predicable with Adam Zagoria notably slotting the Warriors in for a 12th place finish in the still far-off BIG EAST season. Zagoria cites the loss of key players (including Patrick Hazel, LOL) and inexperience as the reasons for the low expectations which Chris Dokish at the NBE Basketball Report also notes as he picks MU to finish 11th overall.

Considering the dramatic roster turnover these predictions are somewhat sound but MU fans ought to remember that Marquette's first BIG EAST squad was picked to finish 12th overall for similar reasons, yet surprised with a 4th place finish. (**Say what you want about Tom Crean, but he did a heck of a job coaching that team and deserved the BIG EAST Coach of the Year nod over Jay Wright. If somebody can explain to me why Wright was the pick -- after all, Nova was favored to win the league and they did what was expected (barely) -- I'm all ears.)

Since it's only June optimism abounds in these parts and looking ahead there are a number of parallels between the Three Amigos' freshman season and the campaign Buzz' Bunch will kick off in the fall. Consider......

The return of an outstanding senior scorer. Lazar Hayward is this year's Steve Novak. As a senior Novak was the most efficient offensive player in the country and a nearly impossible match-up. Luckily for MU, Hayward is the most efficient returning offensive player in the BIG EAST (for higher-usage players, ie: involved in 20% of their team's possessions). Hayward averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds per game as junior. Steve Novak averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game as a junior and elevated as a senior averaging nearly 18 points and six rebound per game. This is promising.

An offensively efficient role player. Jimmy Butler led the BIG EAST in offensive efficiency last season. Though the sample size is small which is what you'd expect from a role player Butler saved his best for the back half of the BIG EAST conference slate, a positive indicator for next season. Looking back to the 05-06 team, senior Joe Chapman was the 6th most efficient offensive player in the BIG EAST, providing a serviceable veteran threat to complement Novak's greatness. The 2005-2006 team was not simply Steve and the Amigos.

Overloaded, redundant perimeter talent. I knocked Tom Crean's inability to balance a roster many times, but in 2005-2006 the formula worked. That squad had no discernible inside presence much like we'd expect from Buzz' Bunch next season. However by adding the Three Amigos to Novak and backcourt/wing role players like Joe Chapman and Dan Fitzgerald (who nailed 40% of his three-pointers that year) Crean created match-up problems for the opposition in most conference games. Fast forward to next season when Buzz Williams will surround veteran role players Maurice Acker, David Cubillan and Jimmy Butler with newcomers Junior Cadougan, Dwight Buycks, Erik Williams and Darius Johnson-Odom. In effect, the formula could be familiar to the Warrior faithful though next year's team also figures to receive a sizable boost from freshman power forward Jeronne Maymon.

The BIG EAST takes a step back. After the 2004-2005 season the BIG EAST endured a massive talent exodus highlighted by Charlie Villanueva, Hakim Warrick, Ryan Gomes, Chris Taft, Chevy Troutman, Chris Thomas and Josh Pace. When teams laced'em up in the 2005-2006 season two teams stood out as heavyweights, Villanova and UConn. The rest of the league was balanced with only four games separating the 3rd place and 10th place teams. In addition, 2004-2005 BIG EAST champ Boston College left the league that previous summer and 2005 Final Four participant Louisville joined the BIG EAST after losing All-American Francisco Garcia as well as starters Ellis Myles and Larry O'Bannon. And we all know what happened to Bob Huggins at Cincy that off-season. Crean's squad took full advantage of a younger, tamer BIG EAST to storm to the top quarter of the league.

This past season the BIG EAST was historically dominant placing five teams in the Sweet 16 and three in the Elite 8. As you'd expect the outgoing talent from those teams is extraordinary. Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien, Earl Clark, DaJuan Blair, Sam Young, Levance Fields, Terrence Williams, DaJuan Summers, the Three Amigos, Paul Harris, Jonny Flynn, A.J. Price and Dante Cunningham are just a few of the athletes who will play the game for a living in the fall. An exodus like that creates somewhat of a vacuum that a talented team -- no matter how young or inexperienced -- figures to take advantage of. To be sure, every other BIG EAST team is re-loading for the winter and a pair of unheralded teams like Cincinnati and Seton Hall could be poised for breakthrough seasons, so why not MU?

Player development: With roughly five months until the Warriors kick off the season, player development is crucial and based on Buzz Williams' comments last week on the radio it appears that Chris Otule is making giant strides this summer. On the 05-06 team, sophomore Ousmane Barro averaged a quiet four points and three rebounds per game, figures that could be attainable with modest progress from Otule.

Otule's progress is tempered a bit by Joe Fulce's problematic knee which required surgery and will keep him out of action for about 12 weeks, but the MU roster can overcome that loss. In addition with JUCO All-American Dwight Buycks already on campus hitting the books and the off-season program the Warriors could shore up their backcourt more quickly than expected.

Again, why not? History could be on the Warriors' side this winter.

Daily Update

Just catching folks up on the various bits of Marquette information spreading across the airwaves:

• Continuing on the original Rivals article by Bob McClellan that we commented on last week, Rivals has a new article asking "Was Williams the right choice for Marquette?. The article starts off by saying that

It's fair to categorize Marquette's hiring of Buzz Williams to replace Tom Crean as a major surprise

• McClellan calls the hire a "Good Hire" (not great), but the co-author Andrew Skwara calls it "Questionable". Read the link for additional information. Just like the original article sparked a six page thread on MUScoop, the new article is likewise generating further debate.
• Rosiak's excellent blog covered Crean's MU Salary yesterday. Crean earned $1.85 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007 and was by far the highest paid faculty member at the school. The article has additional details, including comparisons with other coaches.
• In some good news, the Chicago Tribune has a front page story about McNeal, titled "Marquette's McNeal intent on taking his shot at NBA". Just like Dominic James last year, the situation is really a win-win for McNeal. He gets to test out the process and receive NBA feedback, and his worst case scenario is returning for his senior year.
• Buzz Williams was the featured guest on the Dennis Krause show yesterday afternoon. According to GoMarquette.com's release, the show will be broadcast over two dozen times in the next week. You could also watch it on the internet (requires IE)
• Finally, Time Warner Sports is re-broadcasting classic Marquette games throughout the summer. The station will broadcast a different Marquette game every Friday night, with an encore presentation on Sunday evening. The schedule features only Marquette victories (which is nice), and includes competition such as Pitt, Cincy, Louisville, Duke, South Carolina, and "It's Indiana, It's Indiana". This week's game is Louisville at Marquette (2/20/97). Check the link for more details.

Morning grinds

A few items of note regarding MU..........

Marquette Tribune's Steve Yanda paints himself green with envy at the opportunities that await Jerel McNeal. Yanda rightly expects McNeal to declare for the NBA draft shortly -- but to do so without an agent, and ultimately return to MU.

Now for the main event.

Mike DeCourcy says it will be tough for MU (and PC) to recruit in the Big East because the league is, well, too tough -- and infers that new head coaches Buzz Williams and Keno Davis might be in over their heads.

Nobody is denying that the Big East is rough, but DeCourcy downplays MU's strengths to the point where he views PC as a program on par with MU. Of course, this is not the case on any level, just look at the relative successes of each program in the last decade, not to mention facilities, fan support, television appearances, and NBA footprint. MU certainly left itself open to criticism for hiring Buzz Williams -- but the PC comparison is a non sequitur.

Still, DeCourcy marginalizes Marquette's position in the Big East:

"When the Marquette job opened and its fans wondered if Xavier's Sean Miller would be interested in moving, the answer was obvious -- but not to them."

Few MU fans (any?) expected MU to land Miller. The buzz on Miller's interest in potentially moving on from Xavier was more of a media creation than any Marquette fan's expectation. When the Pitt job opens up, Miller will move on. Fine with me.

"Marquette built one of the nation's best practice facilities and has shown a willingness to invest in coaching salaries, but it cannot change the fact it is at the Western edge of an Eastern league."

The 'western edge of an Eastern league' reeks of spin from competitive coaches, or even coaches formerly on the MU staff. Despite their proximity to the Center of the Big East Universe, programs like Seton Hall, Rutgers, St John's and Providence have somehow struggled to be competitive for what, a decade or more? To read this column, you'd expect that MU had failed miserably during its Big East tenure.

Players who grow up in Wisconsin generally dream of playing in the Big Ten, which is one reason the Badgers have enjoyed an edge in drawing the state's elite prospects

Marquette never was a program built on the backs of talent from the Dairy State. MU has always gotten its share of local kids (Diener and Novak for example), but historically recruited with greater success regionally and nationally. This is a non-issue for the program.

Both Marquette and Providence have hired promising coaches. But each has moved out of his geographic comfort zone and will have to overcome that.

Hmmm........After DeCourcy just pointed out that homestate kids don't flock to play ball at MU how can he now say that hiring a coach from outside the state (or Midwest) is now a disadvantage? Should MU have doubled-down with a yokel so he could swim upstream in a state where the cultish following of the red-clad flagship institution is culturally ingrained?

When Marquette hired Tom Crean, geography mattered more than it does now. With Marquette playing in an East Coast-based league, a coach with a national reputation as a strong recruiter just might be the right fit (process be damned), if for no other reason than being on the 'western edge of an Eastern league'.

Big East battles aren't confined to the court. In fact, the confrontations along the recruiting trail can be even more intense. No joke.

Agreed. And let's face it, after landing the blowout class headlined by the Three Amigos, Tom Crean delivered a pair of decidedly underwhelming classes to follow. Simply put, other than Lazar Hayward and maybe Trevor Mbakwe, Crean left behind a roster of questionable role players with marginal skills. True to form, it took Crean three years to land another promising class, one broken up by his Irsay-esque departure. Crean often recruited his best talent when his back was against the wall -- and heading into 2009, it would have been at Marquette because of the mistakes, misses, and reaches made in between.

In the end, maybe these perceived recruiting issues at Marquette had less to do with geography and more to do with the talent evaluation and roster development of the previous head coach.

Ceilings and Forest Fires

A year ago, I blogged an entry called "A Ticking Clock" .. I'll spare the details, but it was written after being crushed by MSU in the NCAAs. It was about a coach who, in 8 seasons, had brought Marquette to a new level, where the team existed in the rarified air of the top 25. It credited him with a number of wonderful achievements.

Crean brought excitement, attendance, and exposure back to Marquette like nobody's business. What he did not bring, was post-season success, and the clock was ticking. I don't write that sentence today as a monument to sour-grapes. Without D. Wade, one of the greatest NBA players in years, Crean has a grand total of one NCAA victory, and that happened 12 days ago. One. Uno.

13 days ago, I was nervous. Had Crean not won that game versus Kentucky, had we lost, we would have gone 8 of 9 seasons without an NCAA victory, it would have been clear that Crean could not win in March, and had hit his ceiling.

Now, lots of people like that ceiling. Top 25 rankings, top third of the Big East, lots of wins, exposure, and the kids graduate. Some fans are just happy to be in the top 64, just making it to the tournament. I don't subscribe to that math. All of that stuff is very very important, to be sure, but the final exam is winning in March and you've gotta win one every so often. If you're paid like a top 10 coach, you should deliver wins, exposure, AND win a few in March. Otherwise, what's the point?

But Crean won a game, we beat UK two weeks ago. With the same team next year, the expectations would have been higher, yet no Marquette fan would be surprised with a 1st or 2nd round bow-out, because it'd happened so many other times. Last week, I predicted a 12-6 season with 1-1 in the BET, and 1-1 in the NCAAs. We were getting ready to watch the same movie again. That's a pathetic expectation for a team with 3 senior starters and perhaps 3 NBA players on its roster, and I don't think the blame lies with the players.

So am I glad Crean quit? I wouldn't say that. And certainly not the disrespectful way in which Crean pulled the trigger, not notifying Marquette officials nor the team in advance. There's a lot of visceral anger on the internet right now, directed at a guy who's been promoting the program as a family organization, yet coldly divorced us at the drop of a hat.

I look at this like a forest fire started by a bolt from the sky. Marquette needs to act quickly and boldly to put the fire out. Some trees will burn and the forest will be forever changed. But new growth will take root. We'll get a new coach, and the movie will be different. Are we at risk to substantially decline? In the Big East, hell yeah.

In the short-term, Marquette could be very screwed, with future and current players and assistants leaving the team. In the long-term, we have a chance at a guy with a higher coaching ceiling, a better bench coach, someone who can recruit a balanced team so we don't rely on favorable matchups to win big games.

It could be a bumpy ride for the next few years, we'll be in re-building mode, but with the commitment that Marquette has shown, with assets like the Big East and the Al Center, MU has a great platform from which to rise again and achieve higher heights.

Tom Crean Irsay'd Marquette

In his latest blog, Don Walker of the J-S clues us in to the chain of events as they unfolded yesterday evening.

Tom Crean, the beneficiary of a generous, flexible,and accommodating institution, flushed that trust and goodwill down the drain and went "Irsay" on Marquette .........slipping out to Indiana under the cover of night without the decency to discuss his decision in-person with the folks who worked tirelessly to support his basketball program over the years.

There you have it, MU was Irsay'd. Will Mayflower move TC as well?

New Marquette AD faces daunting task

Now that Tom Crean has cast his lot with the Indiana Hoosiers, Marquette faces the unenviable task of starting anew.

Steve Cottingham, Marquette's newly minted AD, will lead the effort to find a new head basketball coach just 36 days after taking over the reigns of an athletic department for the first time. Cottingham has never hired a coach before (a scenario which made Cracked Sidewalks ask "Why Cottingham" when he was originally announced). Cottingham now faces the daunting challenge of replacing the man who, along with strong support from the administration and alumni, rebuilt the Marquette program to heights only surpassed by the legendary Al McGuire.

Given MU's willingness to pay Tom Crean top-dollar to run the program, there's no reason to believe that the administration will pare back its commitment to maintaining a high level of success with the men's basketball program. In the past, Marquette University President Robert Wild has indicated that a successful men's basketball program is a key aspect of his overall strategy for the university. As long as Father Wild remains at MU, expect the Golden Eagles to invest in hoops.

Considering the administration's long-term commitment to hoops, Cottingham should have the resources to land a very desirable candidate. Of course, he'll need to because this hire will define his tenure at Marquette.

With first-class facilities, strong support from the administration, a large budget, a burgeoning fan base, expanded online coverage, and a strong roster of returning talent (we hope), the Marquette coaching job is as appealing as it's been in a long time. Now it's time to fill it with a candidate who can continue the momentum the program has built during the past nine seasons.

Steve Cottingham is on the clock.

......much more to come here on Cracked Sidewalks, check back often!

It's official: Crean is gone

Marquette confirms that Tom Crean is moving on:

Marquette University wishes Tom Crean, his wife Joani and the Crean family the very best as he pursues new professional opportunities. Tom and Joani have been an important part of our Marquette family for the past nine years, devoting countless hours not only to our men's basketball program but to other athletic and community endeavors as well.

Coach Crean has brought pride, honor and a winning mentality to our men's basketball program. It is no surprise that other universities would seek him out.

Coach Crean put Marquette back in the forefront of college basketball by embracing our strong tradition and building a competitive program for today. His tutelage resulted in three recent Marquette graduates earning NBA contracts. In his nine seasons, Marquette has averaged 20 wins a year, won a conference championship and made eight postseason appearances, including the 2003 Final Four and this year's second-round loss to Stanford. Since 2001, Crean has directed the Golden Eagles to 190 victories. He is a two-time recipient of the Ray Meyer Conference USA, NABC District XI and USBWA District V Coach of the Year awards, and in 2003 won the Coach Clair Bee Award as well as being named a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award.

The basketball program Tom has built is strong, with talented players and staff and solid university support. We anticipate that a Marquette coaching vacancy will attract many well-qualified candidates. We look forward to continuing Marquette's winning legacy and to competing successfully at the highest national level.

A look back with an eye on the future

Six days after the toughest post-season loss I can remember, the numbness still remains. Initially after the loss I figured time would quickly heal the wound, and I'd enthusiastically look forward to what is always an interesting off-season with MU -- not to mention the promise of next season.

Oh, if that could be so.

Truth is, the Stanford defeat was MU's most painful post-season loss since the 1978 upset to Miami (Ohio). This loss will ache for quite a while - - that's what happens when a program is flying high and has its wings clipped just before reaching new heights. And sure, there's been plenty of debate about how MU lost -- there's never a shortage of opinions about this team when they lose a close game. In watching the replay a couple of times this week on DVR, I have no complaints. MU's best player, and one of the hottest players in the country, had an open look at the end of regulation and another open look with a few seconds left in OT; neither shot fell. Despite that, it took an NBA lottery pick making a remarkable shot to beat MU -- a shot he released as he slid behind the backboard towards the baseline, out-of-bounds. In the end, MU came up short against a very good team.

Still, what the loss won't do is cloud the progress the Marquette program made during the 2007-2008 season. While the team did not demonstrate the kind of watershed breakthrough many expected, the trajectory of the program remains impressive, particularly given the strong core of returning talent and a balanced recruiting class arriving this fall.

Let's recap the highlights:

• 25-10 record, the third time a Crean-coached team reached that lofty wins plateau;
• MU won at Wisconsin;
• MU beat Notre Dame twice;
• For the first time, MU advanced to the Big East Tournament semifinals;
• MU advanced in the NCAA tournament;
• The emergence of Maurice Acker. Acker played his best ball in the last month of the season - a good sign for the long-term health of the program;
• Jerel McNeal. What can you say, he was extraordinary when his team needed him most;
• Dominic James. Folks will complain about his shooting -- which is abominable -- but James emerged as MU's top on-the-ball defender this year, and his better than 2:1 assist to turnover ratio is an indication of how much his overall game improved year to year;
• Trevor Mbakwe. I'm indifferent about Crean's decision to rip the redshirt off late in the season, but in a limited role Mbakwe appears to be the out-of-area rebounder MU has lacked for years, and plays bigger than his size;
• Lazar Hayward. More often than not, players improve the most between their freshman eand sophomore seasons. That was the case for Hayward, who's diverse offensive game and rebounding toughness were welcome sights on a team that once relied solely on its backcourt.

Now, let's recap a few of the underwhelming points from the season:

• Eleven Big East wins. While MU secured more Big East conference wins than ever before, the team also played more Big East games than ever before. Eleven wins is laudable but considering the veteran bunch MU returned this year, at least a dozen wins and competing for the Big East crown were more reasonable expectations;
• Roster limitations. Coming into the season with all of its key contributors returning, the sky appeared to be the limit for the Golden Eagles. However a redundant roster, the lack of skilled big men, and the absence of outside shooting continue to define this group. Crean's strategy of building an athletic roster of players with limited offensive diversification and a hunger for aggressive defense has proven to be a smart formula for keeping the program in the upper half of the Big East -- a major accomplishment. Despite this, there's a fear that the program will plateau at the present level unless that roster building approach is refined;
• Poor production from the seniors: Before the season started I was bullish on the team in part because of the return of two key seniors, Barro and Fitzgerald. My enthusiasm was misplaced. Unlike many of the seniors during TC's tenure, these guys failed to deliver in their final season much like Sanders, Townsend and Merritt struggled in lead roles for the 2003-2004 team. Barro, relegated to a reserve role for most of the campaign, struggled mightily in that new capacity. Even as a late-season starter, he never recaptured the promise he showed during his junior season. Fitz? Despite leading the nation in the dubious category of "fouling a shooter on a made basket", Fitzgerald rarely displayed the confidence of a senior in any aspect of his game. His inability to sink open shots or contribute consistently with a solid floor game greatly hindered the team;
• David Cubillan: He was my pick to struggle this year, and he followed suit. After his 13 point effort in the win against Pittsburgh in February, Cubillan became one of MU's most ineffective players in the last month of the season. Cubillan scored a combined 14 points in MU's last eleven games, shooting 16% from the field (5 for 31) amidst declining playing time. With the emergence of Maurice Acker, the impending arrival of Nick Williams and Tyshawn Taylor, as well as a healthier Scott Christopherson it is difficult to see Cubillan contributing to this team next season.
  

By any measure, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives and the state of the program is solid to great. This past season was a memorable ride. While there are areas where the program needs to demonstrate improvement -- specifically in recruiting a broader mix of skills -- the formula largely works, but is it enough going forward?

Coming up in the next couple of days we'll look at Crean's effort to remake the nature of the Marquette roster -- and what that could mean for the program. On to the offseason!

Post-Game - Video Closure

Sorry, we at Cracked Sidewalks have been too bummed to write much about yesterday's loss to Stanford. You all watched the game anyhow. What are we going to tell you? That McNeal is a stud? That the Lopez twins are great players but need to keep their mouths shut? Like you didn't know that.

I'm sure if our heartbreak mends today, we'll write something later. Maybe a few dozen Cadbury bunnies will clear up our angst.

In the meantime..

Tom Crean didn't make it on Homer's radio broadcast, and ESPNNews didn't carry the MU press conference after the game. After Tivo-ing every news broadcast I could find, to hear something from the team, I've got this.

Here's some closure for you:

Tom Crean should just...well....SIT DOWN!

As I watched tonight's nightmare unfold, I took notice of Tom Crean on the sidelines doing his usual routine. Back and forth in the coach's box, barking out plays, clapping, grabbing his diet soda, more back and forth...same routine really for the last 9 years. Don't get me wrong, the guy is averaging 20 wins a year with that routine and done some things around here that haven't been done in decades.

However, sometimes you need to shake things up a touch...or a lot. I can hear and see the plays we're running on tv with his hand signals and shouting, I'm certain the other team 45 feet down the line can figure it out as well. Besides, when you're team is constantly looking to the bench to come up with a play, it sometimes pollutes their game thoughts. To much over thinking, not enough instinctive play. Basketball players become robots.

Here's an idea....SIT DOWN. Not a whole game, maybe not even a whole half. How about from one media timeout to the next? Yeah, I know, it's just a silly notion and everyone has silly ideas after a loss. Everyone wants to play Tuesday morning coach. Well, indulge me. Sit down. For just a touch.

Allow these juniors and seniors to be leaders....there are none right now that I see demonstrating any true leadership qualities. Crean said himself during the post game press conference that communication tonight was at an all-time low. Well, does that surprise anyone if the only person that is talking 99% of the time is the coach barking out plays and sets?

Coaches have to adapt just like everyone else. Time to take a chill pill every once in awhile....take a seat Jack. I'm not saying roll the ball out there and just let them play for 40 minutes without adult supervision....not at all. You can call out a few plays from your derriere, or even let them figure out the flow on their own, that is what they practice for every day. It's one thing to be the ring leader 24/7 and many teams need that. Some coaches need it apparently, too. However, I see an experienced and talented team right now that is looking for a leader on the court (a player) ....why not let them seize that moment and find that leader?

Sit down, take the weight off your feet, you may just find out that your club grows a bit more with a longer leash. At the very least, they will learn to trust each other a bit more and force them to communicate with one another while playing the game.

Just a thought from 2000 miles away.

A sickly performance by Marquette

Dominic James had the flu and did not start for the first time in his career. It appeared as if the entire team had the flu. A performance that was sickly in every regard as Marquette was again routed by Louisville for the second time this year. It was MU's first home loss of the season.

The performance looked like many of the recent games by MU this year. They struggled to beat South Florida, played very poorly in the first 16 minutes at Cincinnati, and tonight on national television were outclassed at every turn. The game was over in the first five minutes.

Louisville strolling to the rim with the greatest of ease as MU missed defensive assignments in their matchup 2-3 zone. After about the 7th or 8th uncontested basket, Crean bagged that plan but it didn't help much. While Louisville's shots became a little tougher against the man to man, the Cardinals had no problem down low or going deep from beyond the arc. MU's shooting woes only added to the stench coming from the rotting patient.

So here we were, a national tv audience and a chance for retribution with 3rd place in the Big East in site. Two hours later, a blowout and another horrid performance begs where this team is heading. Sure MU is still in fantastic shape for the post season, but there is something seriously missing from this team the last three weeks of the season and no end in site where that something is coming from.

The team that handled Wisconsin in Madison, the team that crushed nationally ranked Notre Dame, the team that came within one possession of taking out Duke.....not sure where they are, but they are AWOL. With tough games at Notre Dame and at Seton Hall up next, MU better hope to find something soon. The patient is sick and the drugs ain't working.

One thing is for certain, when the coaches picked Louisville to win this conference as co-champions, they weren't far off the mark. Now that they are healthy they look very good.

The final score....71-57 in a game that wasn't that close at all. On a positive note, Bobby Knight announced his resignation today during the first half of the game which means tonight on ESPN and elsewhere the attention will be paid to him and not this dreadful performance.

The loss knocked MU's RPI from 18 to 32 and put the Golden Eagles into a muddled mass with 4 losses in conference play.

Recaps of tonight's embarrassment:

• AP recap / box score / play by play
  
• ESPN on Marquette's collapse at home
• Courier Journal blog on Ville's dominant performance

For Marquette, the road awaits

UPDATED
Despite its 15-4 overall record and 5-3 start in Big East play, the Marquette Golden Eagles find themselves in a tenuous situation over the next ten days. The Golden Eagles' uneven play in their last seven games has created agita up and down Wells Street as the team moves into its most difficult stretch of Big East games. Beginning with Saturday's game at Cincinnati, the Golden Eagles play three of the next four contests on the road against teams that are positively surging -- Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall. Marquette's only home cooking will come against Louisville, a team that pounded them just a few weeks ago.

First up for Marquette is a trip to the Shoe to play Mick Cronin's surprising Cincinnati Bearcats (10-11, 5-4). The Bearcats return home after blowing out West Virginia in Morgantown, 62-39. Cincy dominated WVU in all facets of the game, most notably on the boards where the Bearcats enjoyed a +15 margin, while holding the Mountaineers to 20% shooting from the field.

The Bearcats are led by sophomore point guard Deonta Vaughn. Vaughn is the only Bearcat averaging in double figures with 17 ppg (he nails 40% of his shots from deep). Former MU recruit John Williamson chips in at nine points per game and a team-leading six rebounds.

Despite the productive play from Vaughn, Cronin's bunch is last in the league in turnover margin and near the bottom of Big East in assist to turnover ratio. Meanwhile, MU leads the Big East in steals and is in the top quartile in turnover margin. This points to an opportunity for MU's backcourt to get back on track defensively, though it's been some time since Marquette asserted itself in this manner.

In addition, the Bearcats are one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the league, but will that be a factor on Saturday? The Golden Eagles have been out-rebounded in each of the last seven contests, the longest stretch of the Crean era. Toughness on the glass, a hallmark of Crean-era teams, has been lacking on the baseline since the conference opener against Providence.

For MU though, it is all about the guards. Simply put, the core of MU's attack has under-performed in conference tilts. Only Wesley Matthews, who has scored in double figures in seven of eight conference games, has elevated his play in the last month. In conference play, Dominic James is averaging 11ppg down from 13ppg in non-conference action. James, hampered by a stubborn wrist injury, is shooting just 58% from the line and 40% from the floor in Big East play. To his credit, James protects the ball exceptionally well as his 3.2/1 assist to turnover ratio in Big East action proves, and he's been an underrated on-the-ball defender all season. Jerel McNeal's play remains a great mystery, perhaps highlighted by his 33 minute, zero rebound effort at UConn. Offensively, McNeal is hitting just 36% of his shots in league play, including a frigid 18% from deep. Worse, McNeal has coughed the ball up 27 times in Big East play and appears to be out of synch offensively.

Tipoff is scheduled for 11am CST on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Full Court.

It's time for the backcourt to emerge once again and for this team to sack up, embrace the Warriors Code and own the road.



You're the fighter you've got the fire
The spirit of a warrior, the champion's heart
You fight for your life because the fighter never quits
You make the most of the hand you're dealt
Because the quitter never wins
No!


Additional Previews

• GoMarquete preview
• Rosiak on McNeal - - time to spark MU again
• Dodds' preview
• Cincy Enquirer previews the game and the opportunity before UC
  

Christmas Comes Early: Warriors Beat Badgers

In what may go down as one of the top 5 regular season wins in the Tom Crean era, Marquette soundly beat UW@Madison 81-76.

Dominic James was outstanding and poured in 20 points in 34 minutes, adding 6 assists and 2 steals. McNeal added14 points and had an amazing 5 steals.

Definitely worth noting is the play of our inside guys, Dwight Burke and Ooze, who went 7-10, 13 rebounds, and 21 points between them. You can't ask for much more.

Marquette shot a respectable 47% .. but more importantly, out-rebounded the taller Badgers 37-29.

Marquette led most of the game, and controlled the always rowdy Kohl Center crowd, withstanding every run UW put together. The can be proud of the composure they maintained at the end of the game, rebounding tough, both offensive and defensive.

When thinking about the biggest wins of Coach Crean's tenure, clearly beating Kentucky in 2003 remains at the top of the heap .. Beating #2 UConn in MU's first Big East game .. a few UL games stand out, beating Pitt twice last year .. but tonight's beat down of our most hated rival, on the road, is right up there.

This kind of win gives you the shivers, in that, most of us had it down as an "L" at the beginning of the season. Winning it, snapping a 28 game streak for UW, handing Bo Ryan only his 6th (s-i-x-t-h) loss at home in front of a crowd frothing at the mouth .. makes you excited for how far this team can go this year. Our shooting% is up, our FT% is up, our bigs are producing.

This is going to be a fun year, people.

• Box Score / AP Recap
• AP Photo Gallery
• Go Marquette Recap
  

What is up with Ousmane Barro?

From Todd Rosiak's chat tonight:

Q: LP of Chicago - Why isn't Ooze really starting? We have had big problems on the boards this year. This will only get worse vs UW and in the BE. If anything, start him in to win the jump ball.

A: Todd Rosiak - Start him to win the jump ball? You're joking, right? Barro isn't starting because of his proclivity for early foul trouble, as well as for the energy he's been bringing off the bench. Use Burke to bang around early, then bring Barro in and get some stuff done a few minutes in. Makes sense to me. That also could change in the coming games, especially if Burke continues to be the non-factor he was in Maui.


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I gather from Rosiak's answer above that Crean indicated Barro is coming off the bench to avoid early fouls. Whatever. Barro has not started a single game in the current campaign, so it is not possible for him to have a 'proclivity for early foul trouble' because by definition he's not even in the game early.

Still, if Barro had this 'proclivity' everybody would have noticed it last season when the big fella started all 34 games for Marquette and averaged just 2.6 personal fouls per game (which was far less than the 3.5 fouls per game delivered by McNeal or the 2.9 from Fitzgerald last season, and in line with Matthews' 2.5 per game).

Look, this should be a much bigger issue for TC with the media and fan base, IMHO. A senior, a 34-game starter just one year ago is now an underachieving bench player relegated to watching a marginal Big East post player take his minutes.......all to avoid a few early fouls? That's silly -- it is not like Barro is being benched in favor of bona fide Big East talent.

The early foul trouble notion is merely an excuse. Barro must be coming off the bench for other reasons - - maybe he's hurt, perhaps he's plateaued as a player, he might have tuned the coach out, or maybe he's simply regressed. After demonstrating substantial improvement between his sophomore and junior seasons, Tom Crean surely didn't expect his big man to take three steps back as a senior.

Something is amiss.

Barro's minutes are down dramatically from 27+ a year ago to just about 20 per game now, and he's averaging fewer points per game than he did as a sophomore. And wouldn't you know it, his fouls per game are up this year. Note to self: perhaps Barro is a lousy bench player. Can anybody envision a scenario where a former starter does not adjust well to a reduced role as a marginalized bench player thereby making himself even less effective when he enters the game?

Simply put - - as a starter, Barro scores more and fouls less than he does as a bench player. The logic is flawed. Let's hope TC changes course soon, or that Barro helps Crean see the light and earns his starting role once again. This team needs him.

Milestones and Walkons

A couple hits for this morning:

Tonight, Dominic James stands at 991 points, and should hit his 1,000th point. When he hits that milestone, let's stand up and show him some love. He still has a ways to go to hit MU's top 25 scorers, but will be there right around when the Big East season begins. If DJ hits 15 ppg, he'll end the year inside the Top 15.

Todd Rosiak reports that with Mbakwe and Christopherson out, Crean is looking to add a walk-on or two to add bodies to the practice sessions.

So, if you see a 6'8+" guy walking around campus, could you direct him to the Al Center? Thanks.

”Tom Crean Show” Begins Nov. 8 On Time Warner Sports

For Immediate Release

”Tom Crean Show” Begins Nov. 8 On Time Warner Sports
Weekly Program To Air At 5 p.m. Thursday Nights

Milwaukee – “The Tom Crean Show” finds a new television home this season as the 30-minute program moves to Time Warner Sports Channel 32 in 2007-08, with the first broadcast scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday (Nov. 8) night.

Dennis Krause will host the show, which will feature interviews, highlights, player features and behind-the-scenes access to the nationally ranked team.

The show will air during its regularly scheduled time slot of 5 p.m. CT on Thursday nights and re-air several times over the course of the week. The debut edition will be replayed Nov. 8 at 10:30 p.m., Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., and Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagles welcome IUPUI to the Bradley Center Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. for the Pepsi Season Opener. The Pepsi Tip-Off Luncheon is set for Nov. 9 in the Monaghan Ballroom of the Alumni Memorial Union. The reception begins at 11:15 a.m., with lunch and a program slated to start at Noon. Cost is $35 per person. For more information, please call Sarah Claus at (414) 288-4785 or sarah.claus@marquette.edu.

The “Tom Crean Show” radio program also debuts this week with its first installment Monday night from 6-7 p.m. CT at Mo’s Irish Pub on Wisconsin Avenue.

Nov. 5 will mark the first radio broadcast and the show will continue through March. Tentative show dates, subject to change, are Nov. 5, Nov. 26, Dec. 3, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, Jan. 14, Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Feb. 18 and March 3.

Marquette News and Notes

November 1.

Halloween is over, baseball has crowned its champion (your 2007 Boston Red Sox!) and now basketball ramps up. Here are a few signs of the season:

• The Tom Crean Show begins on Monday, November 5 on ESPN Radio Milwaukee. Details are available here on GoMarquette.com. The show will be streamed on gomarquette.com and ESPN Milwaukee. BTW, here's all you need to know about Tom Crean.
  
• Houston-area big man Chris Otule will visit MU this weekend. Otule is a 6'10" PF/C from Fort Bend Bush High School. Otule also plays for the Houston Lynx club team in the area. As this blog stated a few weeks ago, commitments from Tyshawn Taylor and Chris Otule would be a terrific recovery for MU on the recruiting front. One down, one to go.
• Just for kicks I checked out DraftExpress for their Big East preview. Do any of you think Damian Saunders will help Marquette this season? Comical.

Madness Recap

UPDATED:

Notes from Marquette Madness:

1. Great crowd. Packed house, standing room only. Although somehow it didn't feel jammed like the Bradley Center. I suppose that's the difference between 18,000 and 4,000 fans.

2. Crean and company must have gotten finished watching the Karate Kid series, as they were introduced decked out in karate outfits. Crean arrived on court via a 4-wheel ATV that, god help us, nearly tipped over on several of his sharp turns. Players took turns karate-chopping boards with Big East opponent's logos.

3. DWade was in the house. After a one-act skit where Crean directed us to a "malfunctioning" jumbotron with a taped Wade message .. suddenly Wade appears and brings the house down. Fantastic!

4. Dunk Contest - Many missed dunks, says this white boy who can't jump. The famed Wes Matthews-jumping-over-something (ATV) was missed twice, and they didn't let him risk a third attempt. Jerel McNeal won the contest.

5. The scrimmage started a bit after 9pm. Comments:

• Team looked way better than previous "first" practices. Why? Two words: Oh, Canada! The 10 extra practices and 4 Vancouver games had a clear effect on how close the team is to "mid-season" form. That trip gets Marquette a month ahead of everyone.
• Mo Acker is a huge, huge addition. Runs the team well, shot 4-8 on 3-pointers. 6 assists, Zero turnovers? Nice. Will get a lot of minutes this year, and be the difference maker in many games.
• Blackledge was a surprising scorer for his team. Visable improvement since last year.
• Lazar led all scorers with 18 .. but he took 16 shots to get there.
• Ooze grabbed 9 rebounds .. Trevor with 8. Nice.
• Tommy Brice, DNP. Come on. Give a dog a bone!
• Box Score Here

Photos of the scrimmage.

Here are a couple of videos I shot from my seat:

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Team Introductions:




DWade:


Dunk Contest:

Inside recruiting: Tom Crean looks to seal the deal with Iman Shumpert

With Marquette Madness just hours away and the recruiting campaign reaching a crescendo, Cracked Sidewalks was given unprecedented access to Tom Crean's persuasion playbook earlier this week. Chapter one focused on the sublime Iman Shumpert.

Here's what we know. In his initial on-campus meeting with Shumpert yesterday, TC mimicked the remarkable Morpheus by challenging the young prodigy to consider where his ultimate potential as a person and player would be realized.

"Iman, this is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

Next stop. Marquette Madness.