CNNSI's Luke Winn: Postcard from Marquette

Here's a good read on MU from Luke Winn, currently the lead story on CNNSI's college hoops page. Winn took the time to study the MU program for this article and it shows. While there's terrific analysis of what makes the team click and how TC motivates the troops, the part that immediately caught my eye had to do with the style of play we're likely to see this season --

"We really want to get into the mid-80s [in points per game]," he (Crean) said. "If you look back to a couple of years ago, all the Final Four teams were 83 and above. Last year we were 75. The teams that play deep into the season can play different styles, but they've all scored a lot of points, and a lot of points off of their defense."

Good news folks, very good news. MU's final half of basketball last season was indeed a harbinger of things to come -- good things if you ask me. Considering MU's insanely athletic and deep roster, a pressing, uptempo style of play should translate into a bushel of victories and countless more "wow" moments during the season. Giddyup!

BTW, check out Winn's snapshots from MU.

Marquette Schedule Desktop Wallpaper

I neglected to post links to the 2006-2007 Marquette schedule wallpaper.....many thanks to Alum91 at Rivals.com for creating these.

Link to 1280x1024 Wallpaper

Link to 1024x768 Wallpaper

Majerus on the MU/UWM situation

Kudos to Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Wolfley took the MU/UWM 'deal then no deal' issue to Rick Majerus, a coach who had success at both high majors and at a mid-major, Ball State.

Pardon the mixed metaphor, but the basketball coach knocked it outta the park:

"If I was UWM, I've got nothing to lose because if I lose, (the Golden Eagles) are in the Big East, they are the major power," Majerus said. "It enhances my schedule at UWM. It helps my recruiting. If I'm Dominic James of Richmond, Indiana - Marquette's star guard - what do I care about UWM? But if I'm UWM, and I recruit primarily the state and Milwaukee, then it's a big deal.

"For UWM it's a 100% win-win and for Marquette it's a 100% lose-lose. For basketball in the state, is it the best? Absolutely. For fan interest? Yes."

Wait there's more......

"When I was at Ball State, I played Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota and Purdue. If you get those wins, you are living life large. And if you lose those games, it's going to be better for us because we're playing in the MAC (Mid-American Conference), which is a better league than UWM plays in, or at least at the time it was better.

"I can't see getting hung up over $6,000. I can see getting hung up on 3-0. It's a 4-for-1 and that would kind of bother me, but then again they haven't had success, really, until the last two years, the kind of success that would demand they have more leverage in that kind of situation.

"If I'm UWM, I'm going to do everything I can to work that out."

and more.....

"If UWM ever beats Marquette, trust me, they will storm the court. It will be unbelievable. If Marquette wins, it will be a nice handshake and Marquette is off to the Big East and UWM is on its way to play in the league where UW-Green Bay is a big game."

Check out the full column at the link above. Sure, Majerus is an MU alum and former coach -- but he left the MU payroll two decades ago and found success at two other coaching stops, each with different challenges.

Imagine coughing up the chance to have a series with a Big East team over $6,000. The megalomaniacal Bud Haidet did just that. And the 25 fans who showed up for UW-M's Midnight Madness last week realize this.

That is not a misprint folks. 25 fans at UW-M's Midnight Madness. 25.

A breakdown from the MU Madness scrimmage

Here are my thoughts on Marquette Madness. Keep in mind that I am trying to be as unbiased as possible. That said, in general, as a fan of Marquette hoops, I was extremely encouraged and pleased by what I saw. As with any first practice of the year, there was significant rust and unevenness of play. However, the off-to-the-races style and the terrific talent and athleticism I saw on this team were extremely encouraging. Also of note, the roughness and intensity of play was something I haven't seen to this extent ever at MU, and we've had some intense players here. Guys were going at it full steam and things got chippy quite a few times. For instance, Jerel McNeal once threw a forearm at Jamil Lott's head after a quick skirmish. Marquette is going to punish some teams this year, if the team can stay healthy through its own practices!

Here are some thoughts on the individual players on the team...

Projected starters

Dominic James: DJ looked terrific. Somehow, over the layoff, I had forgotten was a freak of nature he is. His blow by speed and fake-back/roll to the hoop moves make him darn near unstoppable. McNeal, who is a terrific defender, was having a pretty difficult time with him. Perhaps the scariest part (for BIG EAST opponents, that is) is that Dominic hit somewhere in the range of five 3-pointers, some of them from way deep. He has quite obviously been working on his shot. If he can hit that with consistency this year, I think there is little chance he is in a Marquette uniform next year, because the NBA lottery teams will be calling. As it is, Dominic has got to be the conference favorite for Player of the Year (apologies to Lurch... I mean Aaron Gray). The downside and the scariest part for MU fans was that there were a couple times where Dominic got hurt with injuries. Once, he grabbed at his arm (which had a protective sleeve on it), and at the end of the scrimmage, he seemed to have another of his infamous terrible leg cramps, where he had to limp off the court. Gatorade and bananas, Dominic. Fluids and potassium. The good news, though, is that after the game, Dominic was his usual engaging self with the fans, and didn't seem to feel any after effects of the injuries.

Jerel McNeal: Jerel is one of my favorite players ever at Marquette, and the reason is that he gets after it more than 99% of players you will see in college ball. Last night was no different. Defensively, Jerel struggled a bit with Dominic, but was all over the place, with his patented lock-down D. He also took on the scoring load on his team, scoring both while driving to the hole, and surprisingly, showing a terrific long range touch that we haven't seen often in the past. One of Jerel's threes was from WAY downtown, presumably well beyond the NBA line. As I mentioned earlier, he got chippy and gave a forearm to Lott at one point, and generally plays with a snarl and toughness that belies his relatively short and unbulky stature. In terms of errant passes, Jerel's nemesis last year, I don't remember any turnovers but I believe there were a few questionable passes. Jerel looks to have really improved his game overall, most noticeably in his shooting range and ability to go with either hand to the hole.

Wesley Matthews: The first thing that is noticeable with Wesley this year is that he is unmistakenly more muscular this year. You can tell he's been hitting it hard in the weight room. Offensively, Wes' shots did not seem to be falling, but he was able to get to the charity stripe a few times and knocked down his FT's. Was really getting after it on D as well. Wes is a world class athlete, and appears to be due for a breakout year after a freshman year that was interrupted by his foot injury.

(About those 3 Amigos... without a doubt, they have to be one of the very best backcourts in the country, and I'd go so far as to say THE best. All three have very obviously improved from last year, and all three have stepped into definite leadership roles. It is scary how good those three will be together. And they are sophomores... wow!)

Ousmane Barro: Ooze was one of the most pleasant surprises at Madness, I felt. First of all, I found it interesting that during intros, he was the last one introduced, not Dominic. You can feel it in the crowd-- Ooze is incredibly popular and the better he gets, the more people love him. On the court, Ooze looked like a different player. He scored in a variety of ways, the most eye-opening of which was on a turnaround J from about 12 feet, which it is nearly impossible to imagine him hitting before now. He is playing with confidence and aggressiveness on offense, which is a complete turnaround from most of the past two years. He was very good on the boards and just seemed to be more in the flow of the action than he ever was last year. It's clear that he's starting to really LEARN the game, which is something MU fans have waited patiently for with Ooze. Now this is not to say that Ooze was without mistakes and that he has reached his potential already. However, without a doubt, Barro has to be the starting pivot at this point.

Dan Fitzgerald: Fitz played very well in the scrimmage. He hit quite a few 3's with little or no trouble. One of my complaints last year was that he often seemed to be thinking too much about situations and did not have the confidence to just fire away when he had an open 3. Not at Madness. He looked and played confidently, I thought, and seems to have gained some muscle. At this point, he seems like the obvious choice to replace Novak at the starting 4. It will be great to see Fitz be able to concentrate on the forward positions for the most part, and not have to back up the point, as he did last year.

So in sum, my initial starting five would be James, McNeal, Matthews, Fitzgerald and Barro. In contrast to some previous years where the starting rotation has seemed undefined, I think with circumstances as they are (3 very defined starting guards, Barro being clearly the best big man on the team, and Hayward not having the past month to work with the team), this is quite clearly our starting five at this moment. I could see Crean going with a different lineup with time, depending on Lazar's development and matchups (perhaps having Kinsella or Lott in the starting 5 against bigger teams), but at the outset, this will be our starting five.

Now, a little about the players I think will come off the bench this year for Marquette...

Projected Bench Returners:

Mike Kinsella: Besides Barro, Kinsella was probably the biggest surprise of the evening for me in terms of returners. I always suspected Mike could be a solid player, if he was ever able to stay healthy for an appreciable amount of time. For the first time since I've seen him at MU, Kinsella looked and played healthy, and looked like a legitimate option for solid bench minutes. First of all, let's start with the 3-point contest. Kinsella made it to the finals against Cubillan and Acker, and was knocking down 3's with aplumb and with a terrific looking shot. (Cubillan ultimately took the contest.) In the game, Mike seemed to get into Crean's doghouse in the opening minutes, but really redeemed himself after that. He got a number of feeds under the hoop and finished pretty much everything that was given him underneath. He also seemed very solid on the boards, and has definitely added some muscle over the summer. Kinsella could be a nice weapon for Marquette this year. A 7-footer who has some athleticism, can hit the outside shot, and can run the floor... can't complain about that. My comment after seeing him was, "Wow! They are going to LOVE him in Europe next year." And that was not a rip on Kinsella. Who would have thought with all his injuries that Mike would be able to be a viable option to play pro ball after Marquette? If I were to project minutes, I'd say that as long as he stays healthy, Kinsella could be playing 10-15 mpg, depending on matchups. I could see some scenarios (ie: against Pitt) where Crean would start Kinsella over Barro or even play the two together, as Kinsella could better defend a player like Aaron Gray. He will obviously also have to fend off Lott for minutes.

Jamil Lott: I was expecting a lot of Lott coming in, and was slightly disappointed. I had heard that he had really worked on his game over the summer and it is evident that Lott has been hitting the weights hard. He has gained a ton of muscle. Overall, Lott looked OK, playing some pretty good post D and finishing a couple times around the hoop. He also had a couple turnovers, though. Lott will definitely play a role this year, probably at both the 4 and the 5, as he is quick enough to get some PF minutes for us alongside Barro/Kinsella. He does appear to be playing with more confidence this year, and more knowledge as to where he is supposed to be when (one of my complaints year). I'm not really down on Lott so much as I was expecting a lot of him and not much from Kinsella. Both played relatively well in the scrimmage, with Kinsella impressing a bit more because of more offensive touches. The battle for minutes with these seniors will be interesting this year, but the good news is that the three-headed monster of Barro, Lott and Kinsella have all apparently improved since last year, and that bodes well for Marquette's chances this year.

Dwight Burke: If anyone has changed his physical appearance over the summer, it has to be Dwight Burke. Burke has shed his baby fat from last year, and looks big and powerful. He is still somewhat raw on offense, but really got after it in the scrimmage, and I'm hopeful for his future on this team. He sort of seemed nonexistent in this scrimmage, as can happen with role players. I think Dwight is a year away from regular contributions, since it will be unlikely that he will beat out a more athletic Lott or a taller Kinsella for many minutes, assuming both stay healthy. However, if Burke keeps his good attitude and keeps after it, look for him to fill in minutes here and there this year, and really come into his own as a junior.


Projected Bench Newcomers:

Lazar Hayward: Lazar was battling a lot coming into this scrimmage. He has been unable to practice in The Al with his team for the past month due to an ongoing NCAA investigation. Not having the on court chemistry with teammates or the intensive conditioning, I was not expecting him to do a whole lot in this scimmage. That said, Lazar definitely impressed. First of all, his body is that of a senior, not a freshman. Physically, Lazar looks much more ready to man the undersized 4 position in the BIG EAST than Novak ever did. He rebounded well, and hit a nice three and got after it on D. What I like about Lazar is that he seems like a nice complement to the talented guards we have on our squad. He is a step ahead of most players with his athleticism, but isn't the same type of player Matthews and McNeal are, for example. It was hard to get much of a read on Lazar at Madness, since Crean kept giving him breathers, but I'm very encouraged. Fitzgerald seems more ready to start at this point, but it would not surprise me to see Lazar in the starting lineup by conference play.

David Cubillan: I was MUCH more impressed with Cubillan than I thought I would be. This kid clearly flew under the national radar. He has the game and the body of a top 100 player. I believe what probably hindered him was the incredible wealth of talent at St. Benedict's, his prep school, which likely tempered national recognition. Like Hayward, Cubillan is physically ready to get out there. He's a very muscular little guard and looks incredibly ready to take some minutes immediately. Billed as more of an undersized two out of high school, Cubillan showed me that he could play the point. He has handles and a lot of lateral quickness. On top of all that, Cubillan can play rock solid defense on the perimeter and can hit the three with consistency. In fact, Da-VEED not only hit a trey in the scrimmage but defeated Acker in the 3-point contest. I'm very encouraged by Cubillan and think that he is going to be a terrific role player off the bench this year behind James, McNeal and Matthews, a luxury we really didn't have last year. Although he's not as explosive as James, I don't feel as if our offense will stagnate with him at the helm for minutes at a time, and it is very possible we could put James at the 2G for some minutes alongside Cubillan. A terrific and underrated recruiting pickup by Crean. Some compared him to Karon Bradley when we got him to commit. From what I've seen, Cubillan is a better player in every respect than Bradley was.

Trend Blackledge: I frankly expected little or nothing from Blackledge when I heard that he had lost weight and was at around 170 pounds. However, Blackledge's play was actually fairly encouraging, I thought. First of all, he is a very athletic and LONG forward. He adds a dimension to this team that we did not have last year... the combo forward athlete. He is very active under the hoop, and actually had a great tip dunk and another alley oop from Acker that was called off because of a foul. That said, Trend definitely has his raw points. He showed some butter fingers at a couple points in the scrimmage, fumbling the ball and turning it over. I couldn't decide if this is an issue or if it is just a matter of rust or nervousness. At any rate, Trend has a lot of potential, and if you were to add 20-30 pounds onto him, he could be a really solid rotational player at most any school in the country. As things stand, if Lazar gets entirely qualified, I would think Crean will look long and hard at redshirting Blackledge, with the hope that he can add weight and experience, and then have two years to impact the BIG EAST.

Maurice Acker: In my opinion, Maurice Acker was the most surprising player on the court at Madness. This kid is tiny, but the bottom line is that he is a big time player. I went through the scrimmage watching Acker and trying to compare him to a sophomore version of Cordell Henry. Acker is significantly better than Henry at the same stage in his career. Maurice is lightning quick, much quicker than Henry was. He can handle the ball with either hand, again, much better than Cordell could. He is a smart player, always seeming to be at the right place at the right time. He can shoot the 3, as witnessed by his runner-up performance in the 3-point contest. The only drawback I can see with Acker is his slight, smallish size. This may be an issue defensively in the future. However, I believe that any downfalls are certainly made up for with his talent and skill. I came into Madness thinking we would need to land a top flight point guard in 2008, especially if Dominic James leaves early for the pros. Now, I am not so sure about that. Cubillan and Acker are both very, very solid players. They are not freaks of nature like James, and will not be as dangerous as he is on offense. But both are very capable of leading this team into the future, and I feel confident that with the addition of Scott Christopherson, we will be fine at point guard, no matter when Dominic leaves. Honestly, after watching Acker, it will be tough for me to wait a year and see what he can do on the court for Marquette.

One final note with both Acker and Cubillan, and this was brought up on the Marquette message boards already. It seemed like both players were absolutely money when they got enough lift on their threes. When they didn't jump high enough, they both seemed to hit front iron. If Crean can get both of them to get up on their threes, both will be deadly, consistent long range shooters for us in the future.

Prognostications are always difficult, but I think this Marquette team will surpass some people's already fairly high expectations this year, particularly if Lazar becomes eligible. This has to be one of the country's most athletic teams, and Crean is going to run, run, run teams off the court this year. If healthy, this team has the potential to be a team like Villanova had last year, which had Final Four potential. At present, I would guess a Sweet 16 appearance is very doable this year. No matter what, it's clear Marquette fans are in for a treat with this year's squad.

UWM game is off. UWM's greed gets in the way

In a somewhat startling turnaround, it appears the UWM-MU game is now off despite a generous offer from Marquette to play the Panthers five times beginning next year. It was only a few weeks ago that Bud Haidet, athletic director at UW-Milwaukee, suggested things were very close to having a deal done.

On September 20, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported good progress was being made. Haidet said, "We'll have more talks. Certainly nothing is finalized at this point...there are some minor things that we're going to talk about, some minor changes in the area of finances that we'll continue to talk about. I think we're making good progress." He then went on to say "We are still talking, but I think it's important that we're having good conversations, good pleasant conversations, and I feel we'll be able to put something together here eventually."

So what happened for UWM to now back out? Apparently greed. That's the only thing I can come up with or perhaps they never wanted a deal to begin with. Marquette offered $60,000 per game for the three "guarantee" games for a total of $180,000. Last year Marquette's highest payment was $55,000 to a visiting team which included covering costs for travel and hotel accommodations. UW-Milwaukee was offered $60,000 to cross the street (no travel, no hotel expenses to be incurred) and the ability to play Marquette five straight years. Suddenly $60,000 per year isn't enough for the Panthers?

Wasn't this the same school that said they would play Marquette anytime, anywhere, any place just a few seasons ago? The same school that bashed Marquette on the radio every chance they got by intimating MU was ducking their cross town "rival" (usually a rival has to win a game...Marquette is 34-0 against UW-Milwaukee all time). Marquette, apparently tired of the one sided media smear, decided to give the Panthers a bit of their own medicine. Tom Crean publicly offered UW-Milwaukee a contract...five games...$180,000 dollars, and a home game for UW-Milwaukee. A generous offer and one that fulfilled all of their crying demands the last few seasons. Apparently not enough. Now, the bravado of the Panthers sounds more like the quiet whimpering of a pussy cat....a small pussy cat wearing a yellow thong. What happened to anytime, any place? What happened to Marquette is ducking us? Meow. Meow.


This was Marquette's final offer, a 16% increase from their initial offer. It lies squarely in the norms of what college basketball programs offer in guarantee games as this recent ESPN.com article clearly shows ($40,000 to $60,000 is the going rate).

"Maybe at the end of the day they never really wanted the game or wanted the series," Crean said. "Maybe it was always about the money. And I haven't seen anything that would lead me to believe differently, based on the fact that they've turned down what I think was a substantial amount of money to literally come across the street to play a game."

Well UWM, it is fair to say that Marquette fans are through with you. We gave you a generous offer and you turned it down. We went out of our way to offer you not one game, but five games. We didn't have to give you any of these opportunities. You don't see UCLA offering this type of package to cross town school Loyola Marymount. You don't see Georgetown offering this to George Washington or George Mason. You don't see Cal offering this kind of deal to San Francisco or Indiana offering this to IUPUI. Anything out of your mouths moving forward about Marquette not playing UWM is pure hypocrisy at this point. We are done with you.

34-0 looks like it will stay stagnant for years to come. Fine by us. Let the season begin, we have much bigger fish to fry then an athletic department's meowing.

For the complete article...UWM Unable to Accept Generous Offer to Play Marquette


Journal Sentinel Poll on who is to blame for not having this game

Thoughts on Marquette Madness -- WITH VIDEO

A fine thread here on Marquette Hoops that offers nice analysis of Marquette Madness with specifics on each player. Check it out.

Some videos we found on YouTube:

Introductions

Dominic James dunk where he defies gravity.

Another dunk

Wes Matthews Dunk

Another ridiculous James dunk - wow

Another Wes Matthews dunk

Midnight Madness Is Here -- And Tom Crean is Here To Stay

Midnight Madness, in "Our House", "In The Middle of the Night".

I never thought I'd use a lame 80s band like Madness as an intro to the 2006-2007 season. Oh my. But who cares because MU's hoops prospects are rightly "The Land of Hope And Glory"anyway.

OK, I'll stop.

Thankfully, it's time to roll out the ball rack and unveil the 2006-2007 vintage of Marquette basketball. Tonight MU will host its annual Marquette Madness soire, a feast for the famished basketball masses that'll include a first-class, high-energy program capped by the ever-popular slam dunk contest.

If you want to watch tonight's event, check out Marquette All-Access at CSTV. Channeling FEMA, CSTV unforutunately requires folks to use the Convicted Monopoly's browser to make the feed work.

And the good news for MU is that Tom Crean has been around for eight of these kickoffs, and stands to be around for many, many more. The Journal-Sentinel's Michael Hunt offers a curtain-raiser for the season in today's paper, pointing out the extraordinary commitment that MU has made to Crean -- one which coach gladly reciprocates. FWIW, TC is a master at using this to his advantage. Check out the focus on recruiting in this key passage from today's column:

As well as Crean has recruited since the Dwyane Wade era, an urban, Jesuit school in the upper Midwest still has the kind of challenges that Duke, Kentucky or North Carolina rarely encounter. The commitment given Crean is another way to ensure that Marquette will remain competitive for the bluest of chips on the high-stakes recruiting table.

"If certain people still want to negative recruit, they can do it," Crean said. "But in the sense of having any validity to (me) leaving or entertaining other jobs, there's really no validity to that.

"The counterpoints we go against consistently are still going to find negative ways to recruit, but what it does is it breaks down their trust level. Go show (recruits) the article where I went to interview somewhere. It's not possible to do that."

Bingo. Even a serial rumor-monger like Andy Katz (begrudgingly?) admitted in a blog several weeks ago that Crean was not likely to leave MU because of the fantastic environment he's helped create on West Wisconsin Avenue.

Let's play ball.

NCAA Partially Clears Hayward

Todd Rosiak landed the scoop last night....here's a link to the article in Friday's paper.

Marquette University freshman forward Lazar Hayward was given the OK by the NCAA on Thursday afternoon to practice with the Golden Eagles, but has not yet been cleared for competition....Hayward will also be able to take part in MU's "Marquette Madness" event tomorrow night to celebrate the open of practice. It's unclear as to when the NCAA will rule on Hayward's eligibility for games.

Good news for MU, I guess. 'Partial' clearance is a step in the right direction but its not necessarily that Hayward's eligibility is due to be fully restored. Still, its great to see the kid have an opportunity to integrate back into the program more fully.

Work Ethic, Style of Play and an Attitude of Enthusiasm

I guess Tom Crean cares about the items listed above. Read the GoMarquette.com recap of media day.

I'm sure there's much more to come from Ahoya, Marquette Hoops, and Todd Rosiak of the Journal-Sentinel.

UPDATED
Rosiak has a nice recap of media day in today's paper......he also updates the Lazar Hayward situation -- sounds like some sort of decision, or at least an update on his status, will emerge later this week.

Items of interest: Top Freshmen and a New Recruit

The prolific Eric Silver (where would CHN's Big East coverage be without him) churned out a thoughtful analysis of the top freshmen in the Big East. Eric nearly boils the ocean here, analyzing incoming players in two installments. It takes time to cover 56 players. Part one ran on Monday and focused on "Role Players, Almost Certainly Won't Start, Possible Starters". The most interesting bunch here is the Louisvile trio of Caracter, Smith and Clark -- projected as those who 'Almost Certainly Won't Start'. Maybe I'm nuts, but I dont see enough talent on the Cardinals' roster to keep all three of these guys out of the starting lineup for long.

In part two, Silver evaluates freshmen who are " Almost Certain Starters, Probable Starters, All-Rookie Team". Lazar Hayward is smartly listed as an almost certain starter. "Hayward is an excellent outside shooter who is being counted on to play the same role Steve Novak did last year. Unlike Novak, however, Hayward is capable of putting the ball on the floor and driving or pulling up for a mid-range jumper." Read the entire article here.

On to recruiting.......for the last several weeks there's been chatter about Marquette recruiting another player for the freshman class of 2007. Despite appearing 'full' in terms of available tenders, MU is actively recruiting 6'7" PF Damian Saunders from Waterbury, CT. Saunders, a cousin of former UConn standout Edmund Saunders, will prep at Notre Dame Prep (MA) this year. As a senior last season, Saunders led Crosby High School to a state title while averaging 25 ppg. Interestingly, Saunders' AAU coach for at least one summer was Gino Auriemma, the head coach of the UConn Lady Huskies.

According to Notre Dame Prep head coach Bill Barton, "Marquette, Cincinnati and Tennessee have shown the greatest interest........It's not just Providence and (Rhode Island)." Per this thread on Rivals, Saunders favors Marquette at the moment. No word on whether an official visit is forthcoming.

Scout.com has a detailed look at Saunders' recruitment in this premium article.

The Saunders interest is intriguing given MU's apparent scholarship limitations and the program's last two verbals -- both coming from power forwards. Still, history shows that MU undergoes unexpected attrition on an annual basis -- much of it good. Just to play along, here are a few possibilities that might result in an extra scholarship for 2007:

1) Dominic James goes pro. Lets not kid ourselves -- there's a strong possibility that DJ is two and done;
2) Mbakwe fails to qualify and goes to a prep school;
3) MU endures another transfer;
4) Lazar Hayward is ruled ineligible;
5) One of MU's current verbals renegs.

In any event, its good to see that TC is still out there recruiting talented kids for next season, particularly another one from the East Coast. Edmunds sounds like a player.

Which current MU players will play in the NBA?

I don't have the answer but we've found an author who has given this plenty of thought.

Check out Real Chili's take on the pro prospects of MU's current roster.

Tom Keegan Freelancing!

Gotta love it.......A friend of this blog, MU grad and current sports editor of the Lawrence Journal-World, Tom Keegan is a guest columnist today over on MarquetteHoops.com.

In today's offering, Keegan evaluates MU hoops and the Patrick Hazel verbal.

BTW, Tom also moonlights on drive time radio in the Lawrence area -- visit him at TheDriveShow.com and vote for Tom on a weekly basis.

Hoop Addicts.....Your Fix is One Week Away

In one week, Marquette University will unveil the 2006-2007 basketball team at Midnight Madness. The evening will be full of bling and hype -- as we've come to expect over the years.

Here's the link to the official MU announcement.

The announcement also points out that this season marks the 90th anniversary of MU hoops. One of the highlights of the season will be the 'all class reunion' of Marquette basketball, where MU will welcome back all former players, coaches and managers for the weekend of the West Virginia game. That'll be one great weekend. Kudos to MU (and to those who prodded MU) for expanding the pool this year to invite former coaches and managers.

Oh, and by the way, MU now has a new online gift store -- its really quite impressive, with a huge catalog of items to choose from. If you want to play the MU version of 'Where's Waldo' we dare you to fine any non-youth tems bearing the Golden Eagle. C'mon, play along!

Lazar Hayward Update?

GE1974 at MarquetteHoops uncovered the latest info on Lazar Hayward's eligibility issue -- or at least the latest speculation.

It seems that a blogger at Fox Sports claims to have inside info on Hayward's eligibility hiccup:

"According to a source, the problem with Hayward stems from the fact that his old high school, Buffalo Traditional, closed down and some records haven't been able to be found."

Amazingly, we have confirmed that the Buffalo Public School district survived the closing of Traditional High School and successfully managed the transfer of its student population to other locations. We're guessing the records of current and previous students were also taken care of as part of their standard operating procedures (especially since the transcript would have been required for admission at Notre Dame Prep).

Oy. Here we have a claim drop in from out of nowhere -- with no viable source willing to go on the record, appearing on a blog that has never covered MU before. Consider me unconvinced.

Patrick Hazel commits to Marquette

Tom Crean received a verbal commitment from Blair Academy's Patrick Hazel today. The commitment from the 6'7" 220lb power forward completes the 2007 recruiting class for Marquette. IWB of MarquetteHoops.com along with FOXSports.com and Scout are all reporting the verbal was given today.

Joe Mantegna, head coach at Blair Academy, is no stranger to talent as he has coached Charlie Villanueva and Loul Deng at Blair Academy in the past.

Last year's Blair squad had Shamari Spears and Wellington Smith who are attending Boston College and West Virginia respectively. Per Scout.com last year, "the one guy that really has coach Joe Mantegna excited is 6-foot-7, 220-pound junior power forward Patrick Hazel out of Bayside High in Queens, N.Y."

"He’s a sleeper, a poor man’s Ben Wallace," Mantegna said. "He’s active, plays hard, rebounds and blocks shots. He’s a throwback. He’s a gem."

Hazel is the fourth player MU has added to its roster in the last two years from the East Coast, a sure sign that the Big East conference affiliation is paying huge dividends for Crean and his staff.

Hazel will join combo guard Scott Christopherson (LaCrosse, WI) and power forward Trevor Mbakwe (Mendota Heights, MN) as part of the incoming 2007 recruiting class.

Hazel was recruited by Virginia, St. John's, St. Joe's, Seton Hall, Hofstra, Rhode Island, UMass, Holy Cross and Lehigh.

MEDIA ROUNDUP OF THE VERBAL
Here is Todd Rosiak's revealing article on Hazel's verbal. The article is laden with terrific detail about Hazel's recruitment and background -- as well as this testimonial from his high school coach.

"He's going to help Marquette win because he does all the garbage that most kids don't want to do that makes you win. He's unselfish to a T, he's a team guy and he's a real uniting personality in the locker room and school. He's just a tremendous kid."

Here is the Rivals article on Hazel's verbal.

Here is the Scout.com article on Hazel's verbal.

Marquette to Retire Dwyane Wade's Jersey

Just announced today at the Coach's Luncheon in Chicago.

Reported first by John Dodds over at Marquette Hoops.

Interesting timing for MU ......Dwyane has not yet graduated but has clearly demonstrated a commitment to the university and the basketball program since moving on to the NBA. I'll gather from this news that DWade will continue to work towards his degree, however (hey, idealism still lives in certain corners of my mind)

I'm glad to see MU move quickly on this. To think it took MU roughly two decades to retire the jerseys of Bo Ellis, Earl Tatum and Doc Rivers -- those waits were unnecessary. And there was no reason to wait on retiring DWade's.

Bravo.

Here's the Rosiak article.

Patrick Hazel Visiting MU - UPDATED

UPDATED
Per a report on Marquette Hoops, 6'7" 220 pound Patrick Hazel of Blair Academy (NJ) has received a scholarshop offer from Marquette. As of Thursday night Hazel is already on the MU campus, and Scout.com filed this interesting article -- complete with Patrick's impressions of Marquette.

Hazel began his high school career in Bayside, Queens before enrolling at Blair Academy. Blair is the same program that produced Charlie Villanueva of the Milwaukee Bucks, Royal Ivey of the Atlanta Hawks, the Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng, and current Boston College freshman Shamari Spears. Blair Academy has one of the most successful programs on the East Coast.

Marquette currently has three players on its roster from the East Coast: Dwight Burke (NYC/St. Benedict's, NJ), David Cubillan (Venezuela/St. Benedict's, NJ), and Lazar Hayward (Buffalo/Notre Dame Prep).

Future so bright, gotta wear shades

With apologies to Austin-based Timbuk-3, the headline captures the essence of Mike DeCourcy's latest blog over at TSN. While many Big East wannabes anxiously await the demise of the league, DeCourcy posits that "the supersized hybrid Big East -- with some programs that emphasize football, some that dabble in it and some that don't play the game at all -- is going to endure. That may be the best thing for the future of college basketball."

I'd imagine some of our football-playing conference friends might disagree with this premise. While there's nothing particularly revealing in DeCourcy's blog, he convincingly restates strengths of the current Big East - - - exclusively in basketball terms. It's a simpler argument, but not complete. Let's face it, the Big East must remain a viable BCS football participant to remain in good health -- and right now, that's also the case.

Recruiting Update: Jerrell Williams

According to recent report on Rivals.com, MU is aggressively recruiting 6'8" forward Jerrell Williams out of Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon prep. Jerrell's twin brother Terrell verballed to LaSalle a few days ago. Per Rivals, Jerrell "is still open although leaning towards Marquette."

Jerrell is orginally from Paterson, New Jersey but left for Mount Hermon last year. Here's a revealing article about the Williams twins and their decision to attend Mount Hermon. Unlike other prep schools, Mount Hermon appears to be a legitimate educational institution.

Haunted Hoops....

The name is campy but at least it means the basketball season is about to start. Per the JS today, get ready for some Haunted Hoops kiddies!

The Marquette Golden Eagles will hold their annual "Haunted Hoops" men's basketball scrimmage on Oct. 27, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Al McGuire Center.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature trick-or-treating for kids 14 and under in Halloween costumes, as well as a kids' parade at halftime of the scrimmage.

Players will be available afterward to sign autographs.

The Golden Eagles officially open practice on Oct. 13, with MU holding its annual "Marquette Madness" event in celebration of the event. Doors will open at 7 p.m.

Is this a Haunted Hoop?

DWade Teams Up with Mars Blackmon

......so to speak. Look for DWade to appear in a Spike Lee directed commercial for his new line of Converse shoes in late October. The Miami Herald has all the details here.

Its gotta be the shoes!

Mike DeCourcy On the Money

In his most recent blog, Mike DeCourcy sums up the symbiotic relationship between Tom Crean and Marquette University better than anybody has, ever. This one is spot-on.

When Crean got the Golden Eagles to the Final Four, he was supposed to then trade that distinction for a job at a school where football money is plentiful and the school's brand name resonates with in-state recruits. And Marquette was supposed to feign poverty, wave goodbye and figure out who among the mid-major head coaches and high-major assistants was "the next Tom Crean." That's how it always works.

Instead, Marquette committed to continuing at a high level, and Crean committed to Marquette. Three top-flight, national-contender-type Big Ten jobs have come open since the 2003 Final Four: Illinois, Ohio State and Indiana. Essentially, Crean did not budge in pursuit of any one of them, and Marquette responded by raising his pay to help make it more attractive to stay. The university built the single best practice facility in college basketball, the Al McGuire Center.

Read it all right here.

Kudos to Alum91 at Ring Out Ahoya! for finding this gem.

Big News Day for MU; Crean Extension Tops the News

Tuesday unexpectedly became the biggest news day of this long off-season.

Clearly the biggest news was that MU has extended the contract of Tom Crean through the 2016-2017 season. 10 more years. Does anybody think he's going anywhere else now? Certain negative recruiters will have to invent some new fiction, I suppose.

This contract is a coup for Bill Cords and Father Wild. Crean is the quintessential program builder and a charismatic ambassador for MU. During the last eight years, the University responded in-kind with dramatically improved facilities, resources and expertise to match. With top-notch facilities, an expanded athletic department staff, a much-improved athletic scholarship fund engine, burgeoning ticket sales, and now the Crean extension - - MU's commitment is clear.

The new deal likely ensures that Crean's tenure at MU will outlast that of current AD Bill Cords, who has been at the university for roughly 20 years. Also, its possible that Crean will also serve under another university president in the years to come. In each case the message is clear - - big-time basketball is a critical part of the overall, long-term university strategy.

A lengthy, lucrative deal like this signals that the commitment to the basketball program transcends the current administration. This is a good thing considering MU's lack of commitment during the mid-1980s, one that derailed the program for years to come.

Glad you're sticking around, Coach Crean. Here's the MJS article.

Next up -- the CBE Classic, where the field now is set for November. MU is one of four programs hosting a first-round game in this event, and will open on November 13 against Idaho State at the Bradley Center. Maine and Detroit will also play at the BC that same night, with the winner of this mini-bracket advancing to the CBE semifinals in Kansas City on November 20. The winner of this bracket would likely face Texas Tech in Kansas City, and perhaps the Duke/Stanford winner in the finals on November 21. Interestingly, this event will also play a consolation game on that same date.

Finally, we were treated to the news that the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has agreed in principle to play MU beginning in the 2007-2008 season. The 'rivalry' will be renewed with what amounts to a 4 for 1 arragement, with MU hosting four games at the Bradley Center. MU has never lost to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Tom Crean signs 10 year extension

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that Tom Crean and Marquette University have come to an agreement that would extend the coach's contract through the 2016-17 season...a ten year extension.

"Tom has such a tremendous commitment. He's all about commitment and relationships," Cords said. "We just felt that this was a strong and powerful commitment to make to him and in turn, it's a powerful commitment that he's making to the university and the community. It was the right thing to do."

For the quick story, click here

Here is the official press release from MU.

Media Update

Good morning....well, the Richmond (IN) Palladium-Item hasn't forgotten about its most recent basketball prodigy, Dominic James.

Mike Bennett catches up with DJ in this article, which also somewhat previews the upcoming MU season. Also of note - - a radio station in Richmond is now part of the Marquette baskeball radio network. Hoosiers love their hoops.

Also, Tom Crean was at Miller Park last night catching a Brewers/Cardinals game -- meeting Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols. LaRussa has been a friend to the MU program for some time.

Top PG in the Big East

.......that'd be Dominic James from Marquette University.

Here's the rundown from the Big East Basketball Report.

In case you missed it.....

.....last night Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel conducted a chat session about MU basketball. Rosiak has great access to the program, and offered a first-hand account of most of the roster. Check it out here.

Support Al's Run for Children's Hospital

OK folks, one of Milwaukee's finest traditions is upon us, the 29th Annual Al's Run for Children's Hospital will be held on Wisconsin Avenue in the heart of campus. The run is sponsored by the good folks at Briggs & Stratton.

This year Alum91 over at Ring Out Ahoya! launched a massive pledge drive for the run. I'm proud to say that I've donated this year, and hope you'll give strong consideration as well.

Children's hospitals are extraordinary places where miracles happen every day. The care kids receive at these facilities is vital - - and is specifically tailored to their unique needs. To continue offering great care for our kids, the hospital needs support from the community. Last year Al's Run generated more than $1 million for the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Let's help Alum91 push that number up in 2006.

Want to donate? It's very easy, just click on this link.

Still not convinced? Check out Tom and Joani Crean -- the Grand Marshals for this year's event.

Ranking the Big East's Top Point Guards

Eric Silver.......you are now officially a prolific journalist.

Check out Silver's latest effort - - an anlysis of the Big East's top point guards. Guess who tops the list?

MU v UWM, ETA 2007-2008?

Looks like the ball is in UWM's court on this one. Per this morning's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, MU sent a proposal to the cross-town state school that amounts to a 4 for 1 arrangement (four games at the Bradley Center).

In the end, the 4 for 1 arrangement mirrors what UWM has in place with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Let's see what happens.

Tom Crean Goes JUCO

Coach Tom Crean has been meandering across the great state of Texas this week, looking for a JUCO big man to add to the incoming class next fall. Along the way, Crean visited the central Texas hamlet of Brenham this week -- home of incomparable Blue Bell Ice Cream and the six-time state champion Brenham High School Cubs baseball team (Cecil Cooper is an alum, and who can forget the amazing Jon Peters -- the only high school pitcher to make the cover of Sports Illustrated in the last 30+ years).

But I digress.......lets look at three new kids on the MU radar -- two of whom are confirmed for official visits this weekend.

Eric Whitehurst
TC wasn't in Brenham to tour the creamery, but he did pay a visit to Blinn Junior College where the talented Eric Whitehurst, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound sophomore forward, toils in the paint. After a season at Alleghany College, the Virginia native originally verballed to VCU but landed up at Blinn after Jeff Capel packed his bags for Norman. Previously, Whitehurst was recruited by Virginia Tech, St. Bonaventure and Wake Forest.

Quintin Thornton
In addition, MU is pursuing 6'9", 225-pound sophomore forward Quintin Thornton of Odessa Junior College (Larry Johnson's alma mater). Thornton started all 26 games last season for the Odessa Wranglers. He shot an impressive 54% from the field and was the team's second leading rebounder.

No word on whether or not Thornton will visit, though premium content on Hoopmasters has a teaser on their front page indicating that Thornton will visit a Big East school this weekend. Let's figure MU is getting that visit, just for fun -- eventhough its not confirmed.

Per Rivals, as a high school senior Thornton was offered by Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and St. Joseph's. Scout.com rated him as the Sunshine State's 24th best prospect for 2005. As a junior at Orlando's Edgewater High School, Thornton teamed up with former Memphis star Darius Washington to lead the squad to a state championship.

Looks like JUCO recruiting is here to stay at MU. Marcus Jackson, Jamil Lott and Trend Blackledge all fit the same pattern - - TC keeps his options open for the last scholarship every year looking for the best player available, presumably one who can contribute immediately. What's different about Whitehurst and Thornton is MU's relatively early interest in them - - Jackson, Lott and Blackledge were late signees for Crean. Looks like TC wants to wrap things up in November rather than April.

Even if Thornton is not visiting, the Whitehurst visit to campus is encouraging. The program is in need of a productive big man - - maybe he can fill the void.

Carlon Brown
According Fullcourtpress.net, Brown is a promising combo guard:

Brown is a terrific, but very underrated national combo-guard prospect that will be one of the top West Coast surprises this spring! Very savvy balhandler has nice size for a lead guard as well as real ability to bury the deep perimeter shot. Very good student too.

Another guard? This makes sense to me - - if TC believes there's a good possibility of Dominic James moving on to the NBA after his sophomore season. And let's face it . . . he just might. Per Scout.com, Marquette has already offered Brown.

VISITS THIS WEEKEND
Per the resourceful Todd Rosiak - - its confirmed that at least Whitehurst and Carlon Brown will visit MU this weekend.

NCAA Looking into Hayward's Eligibility

Ouch. This one could really hurt. Hayward is a likely starter - - - - or so we hope.

Check out the updated article Tuesday morning from Rosiak.

UPDATED
A quick Google news search of "NCAA Clearinghouse" proves that this process is somewhat routine. The search yielded 34 full pages of results - - keep in mind, all of these articles appeared within the last month alone. The majority of the cases cited in these reports deal with football players' eligibility for the current semester.

The reaction to the Clearinghouse's investigations tended matter of fact (hey, its standard operating procedure -- yet its interesting that the Clearinghouse process draws so little scrutinty). A few articles did take the process to task a bit - here's an example from The Advocate in Baton-Rouge.

For more information, here's a link to the Clearinghouse's official site.

Big East Television Channel Nixed...but was under consideration

Recently the Big Ten decided to create it's own television channel to broadcast it's Olympic sports as well as revenue producing sports beginning next year. DIRECTV has agreed to carry the channel in it's lowest tier, meaning that all customers with Total Choice and above would receive the channel. A coup for the Big Ten with that satellite network. If they reach similar deals with Dish Network and the various major cable companies then they will be off an flying.

Much speculation circled around the Big East doing the same. The Sports Business Weekly is now reporting the Big East conference gave it serious consideration to do just that...launch it's own national television station. In the end, Mike Tranghese believed going with ESPN and signing a long term deal meant more exposure to the league and guaranteed them almost 90 million television households (there are approximately 106 million in the USA) with ESPN's long term contracts with various cable and satellite systems. Instead of negotiating carriage rights with the various television distributors across the country, the Big East went with ESPN instead.

Sports Business Weekly is now reporting that the Big 12 and the SEC are also exploring channels of their own, but nothing is a slam dunk.

Here are some various excerpts from Sports Business Weekly on this subject.

Big East picks ESPN over starting own network

While the Big East was negotiating its latest television deal with ESPN over the past several months, it seriously considered launching its own TV network, following the recent example of the Big Ten and Mountain West conferences.

But the BigEast eventually decided too many risks were associated with setting up its own regional sports network and opted to go the safer route to guaranteeing wider distribution for its programming for a rights fee that's said to be close to $200 million over the six-year deal.

"I want our fan base to see our games," Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese saidlast week when announcing the conference's deal to stay with ESPN, with whom it has had a relationship since 1979.

The BigEast's announcement came just three days before the launch of the nation's first college conference RSN, Mountain West's The mtn., and illustrated the thought process every conference will go through as their current TV deals expire.

Essentially, conferences have two choices. They can launch their own network and control their programming and ad inventory, similar to the Big Ten and Mountain West. Or, they can cut a wide-ranging, multiplatforrn rights deal with an established programmer, such as ESPN or Fox Sports.

The Big 12 is the ncixt major conference to face the choice. Its ABC/ESPN deal expires in the spring of 2008.

The SEC's current deal with CBS, ESPN and Lincoln Financial ends in the spring of 2009, and the conference is exploring the possibility of an SEC TV channel, said Charles Bloom, the conference's associate commissioner.

"But it's not a slam dunk," Bloom said. "We're not going to jeopardize what we have already ...We're very happy with what we have now. We're asking ourselves how we can add to it and how we can make it better."

To launch the Big Ten Channel next August, the Big Ten is partnering with Fox, which will pick up the startup costs. The conference and Fox will form a limited liability company that will pay the conference an annual rights fee.

Due in part to the growing number of cable and broadband channels, schools and conferences are less concerned about their high-visibility football and basketball programming and focused more on finding a home for Olympic sports, such as volleyball, field hockey and soccer.

"One of the growing trends is developing added exposure for J Olympic sports," said Brian Ullmann, assistant athletic director for the University of Maryland.
The Big Ten'slaunch will provideahome for those non-revenue-generating sports. The conference still will get distribution for its bigger games through a 10-year, $100 million deal with ABC/ESPN.

It also will be able to retain control over when its teams play their games and which sports to promote. Its investment will grow wildly if the channel gains enough distribution.

Distribution, though, is the biggest risk conferences face in launching their own channel. The mtn., for example, has been receiving negative local press detailing its problems in trying to launch in several of its conference's markets, particularly on systems run by Cox Communications, which is taking a hard line with the RSN
and refusing to pay its carriage fee.

"We don't feel a need to compete [with satellite and telephone companies] on video content as much as we did before," said Bob Wilson, Cox's senior vice president of programming, citing the fact that video brings in "well under" 50 percent of Cox's revenue. "That allows us to not have to accept all deals and offers that come our way"

The Big East decided that ESPN could provide adequate coverage via its broadcast, cable, broadband and mobile platforms while also affording it a steady rights fee.
Also contributing to the Big East's decision to extend with ESPN was the sports network's broadcast syndication arm, which sells games to over-the-air stations in conference markets.

"We're getting into all of the cable entities that we would have wanted to get into with our own channel," Tranghese said.

In the end, we will have to see if this was the correct decision or not. There is a tremendous amount of money and risk in launching any new station and from that perspective, I would say that the Big East made the correct call. However, they do have to adhere to the 500lb gorilla in ESPN as part of that process which is never easy. The Big 10 Channel has a tremendous upside if they can get distribution. I have no doubt they will accomplish this in Midwest markets. Will other markets also pick up the channel...will they truly have a national base to reach? That remains the question.

Nick Bennett Joins Marquette Basketball

Yesterday Tom Crean hired former UW-Stephens Point star Nick Bennett as the program's new head manager and director of basketball technology. Bennett is the newphew of former UW-Madison coach Dick Bennett and played for his father Jack on two national champions at Stephens Point.

Welcome to Marquette, Nick.

Quick media roundup

Todd Rosiak spoke with Tom Crean about the MU schedule in his article this morning. Coach Crean is understandably pleased with the national exposure for the Big East and his squad:

The Golden Eagles will play eight conference games on national TV, including four straight to close out the regular season. The highlight will be the finale on March 3 when they play host to Pittsburgh as the nightcap to "ESPN Gameday," the network's studio show, which will begin broadcasting live from the Bradley Center at 10 a.m.

"I think it speaks volumes about the league, it speaks volumes about what they feel our atmosphere is like," Crean said. "That's a tribute to the students, the fans, the way they have done so many things to make playing at Marquette such a great experience. But there's no way this would have happened without the leadership of the Milwaukee Bucks and especially Sen. (Herb) Kohl clearing the way for us to have an opportunity to do this."

UPDATE

• MU alum Eric Silver, prolific message board poster and emerging Big East reporter, completed his splendid Big East preview yesterday. Eric previewed all sixteen Big East teams -- tabbing the Pittsburgh Panthers as the pre-season favorite. Check out the link here - - to read his previews on each team, scroll to the bottom of the Pitt preview. Well done, Eric.

• Also, Dominic James and Pitt's Stuart Gray are the coverboys for the Big East's official 2006-2007 preview. Click here to get the links for the series of .pdf files.

MU Releases 2006-2007 Schedule

Marquette released its '06-'07 schedule earlier today.

There are plenty of TV games here folks -- MU will make a minimum of nine appearances on national television this season, including a visit from the ESPN GameDay crew for the season finale against Pittsburgh. MU will also play two games on ESPN's much hyped 'Big Monday' lineup (Villanova and Louisville).

The lights do shine brightly in the BIG EAST. For the second consecutive year, the BIG EAST will set a record for national television appearances:

The 2006-07 BIG EAST men's basketball schedule lists more telecasts on national networks - a total of 45 regular season intra-conference games on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and CBS - than ever before in conference history, granting the league and its members unprecedented exposure across the country.

Back to MU........Among the highlights at the Bradley Center this season are scheduled tilts against the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Syracuse, Villanova, Louisville and Pittsburgh. MU's mirror games for the '06-'07 season are with Providence, Pittsburgh and Louisville.

In a balanced conference slate, Marquette opens BIG EAST conference play with five of its first eight games on the road. Ouch. As you'd expect, MU closes with five of its last eight at home - - good news for a program that defends its home court as well as the Warriors.

November
5 -- Cardinal Stritch (exhibition), 7 p.m.;
10 -- Hillsdale (Division II), 7:30 p.m.;
13 -- CBE Classic - Maine v. Detroit, 4:30 pm; MU v. Idaho State, 7 pm;
14 -- Consolation game, 4:30 p.m.; championship game, 7 p.m.;
18 -- Eastern Michigan, 1 p.m.;
20 -- CBE Classic semifinals at Kansas City, Mo., 6 and 8 p.m.;
21 -- CBE Classic consolation and championship, 6 and 8 p.m.;
27 -- at Valparaiso, 7 p.m.

December
1 -- Blue & Gold Classic, North Dakota State vs. Princeton, 5:30 p.m.;
MU vs. Northwestern State, 8 p.m.;
2 -- Blue & Gold Classic consolation and championship, 5:30 and 8 p.m.;
5 -- Delaware State, 7 p.m.;
9 -- Wisconsin, 1 p.m. (ESPN);
16 -- Maryland-Baltimore County, 1 p.m.;
19 -- Oakland, 7 p.m.;
22 -- Morgan State, 7:30 p.m.;
30 -- Savannah State, 1 p.m.

January
4 -- at Providence;
7 -- Syracuse;
10 -- at Connecticut;
13 -- West Virginia;
15 -- at Louisville (ESPN);
21 -- at Pittsburgh (CBS);
24 -- Seton Hall;
28 -- at South Florida.

February
3 -- Providence;
7 -- Rutgers;
10 -- at Georgetown (ESPN);
14 -- at DePaul;
17 -- Louisville (ESPNU);
19 -- Villanova (ESPN);
24 -- at Notre Dame (ABC).

March
3 -- Pittsburgh (ESPN Gameday);
7-10 -- Big East Tournament at New York.

Here's a link to the schedule.

Here's a link to the overall Big East schedule announcement.

*MU will not play St. John's or Cincinnati during the regular season.

Mbakwe Transfers...

......to another high school in the Twin Cities. Earlier we'd reported that 2007 commit Trevor Mbakwe was moving to Georgia to complete high school. Well, things have changed - - again. Per the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Mbakwe left Sibley High School and is now enrolled at St. Bernard's. Sounds like this move was a compromise between mother and son:

"It's a done deal, he's gone," Henry Sibley coach Tom Dasovich said Tuesday. "His mom didn't want to come back to Sibley and Trevor didn't want to go to Georgia. I wish him the best. I hope they help him academically as much as possible."

The last sentence in Dasovich's quote gives me pause, however. After flip-flopping on his choice of high school as both a junior and a senior, let's hope Mbakwe transitions smoothly at St. Bernard's -- particularly in the classroom.

Collegehoops.net Previews Marquette

OK, summer is over and Midnight Madness can't come around fast enough. Anybody need a fix? Check out Eric Silver's terrific MU preview over at Collegehoops.net Per CHN, MU is the preseason #5 team in the Big East. The most interesting tidbit in the preview? - - - learning that Lazar Hayward was Notre Dame Prep's leading scorer last season, outpacing Paul Harris (Syracuse) and Derrick Caracter (Louisville).

College basketball is still dominated by guards, and Marquette has the best trio of guards in the league. All three starters – James, McNeal, and Matthews – are warriors in the best sense of the word. Having Fitzgerald and Cubillan coming off the bench means Marquette also has the deepest guard corps in the conference. Crean’s crew should finish no lower than sixth in the Big East; if Barro can get 8 points and 5 boards a game, and if someone moves ahead of the pack to become a solid back-up at the 4/5, MU should finish higher. They’re a Top 25 team based on their guards alone. If everyone stays healthy, Marquette will likely finish fifth.

Here's the link.

Schedule freaks unite......

The good folks at Ring Out Ahoya have pieced together the mosiac of MU's 2006-2007 schedule. None of this is official, but the dates/opponents are generally confirmed via the Web.

Anyway, check it out here.

Still no word on the official MU schedule

Jerai Grant verbals to Clemson

Per reports at both Scout.com and Rivals.com

Here's a thread on the verbal.......Grant was scheduled to visit MU later this month. Grant will continue a family tradition with the Tigers, following in the footsteps of his father and uncle at Littlejohn Coliseum.

Tom Crean still has one scholarship to offer for the 2007 freshman class. Most expect MU to go 'big' with the last scholarship, as Crean did when he landed PF Trevor Mbakwe earlier this summer

What's Next for the Bradley Center?

........according to onmilwaukee.com, the next two years are critical to the future of the Bradley Center and/or the potential of a new facility for MU, the Bucks and the Admirals. The Bucks agreed to a short-term lease, and now the commission will negotiate with MU and the Admirals on the same timeline.

Considering 2006 is an election year, its doubful that this situation will be resolved in the short-term. However, assuming Senator Kohl is re-elected this November, the Bradley Center issue quickly will become a hot-button issue in 2007.

The Bradley Center Board and the Bucks earlier this month agreed to a new lease, keeping the team in Milwaukee through the 2007-2008 season. The board will now work to finalize new leases with the Milwaukee Admirals and the Marquette University, said Ulice Payne Jr., chairman for the center's board.

Check out the article here.

Television Galore

The Big East Conference announced today a major television deal with ESPN that will thrust the conference into the television sets of sports fans across the country.



What does this mean for Marquette? Plenty. The six year extension to the television contract means television and the dollars associated with the contract are set until 2013-14 season. It also means MU basketball will be on television on a NATIONAL platform with great regularity. For example, EVERY MU Big East men's basketball game will be on television. For that matter, every BIG EAST intra-conference game will be televised.

This is great news for MU in terms of exposure, recruiting and dollars.

Here is an excerpt from today's press conference:

Every single intra-conference men's basketball contest will be televised. As a result, the BIG EAST Conference and its 16 members will reach more households than any other conference in the country. Specifically, ESPN will produce 139 of the 144 available regular season BIG EAST intra-conference men's basketball games - all except those five games belonging to CBS -- and will televise those contests on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPN Regional (ERT), ESPNU or ESPN360.

ESPN or ESPN2 will broadcast a minimum of 64 BIG EAST games each year: 49 regular season games (41 conference and eight home non-conference) and all 11 BIG EAST Championship games. Consequently, the BIG EAST will have four to five games broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2 each week during the conference season.

The BIG EAST will continue to be the only conference in the country to have each and every one of its men's basketball tournament games televised by ESPN. There were record audiences for the 2006 BIG EAST Championship, including the final game, which was the highest-rated cable tournament final of the year (2.58).

In addition, ESPN Regional will carry a minimum of 80 games (66 conference and 14 home non-conference) and continue its weekend Game of the Week package, which reaches approximately 30 percent of the nation's homes and has a total household reach of more than 30 million. Most games offered by ERT are also available nationally as part of ESPN Full Court, the pay subscription college basketball outer-market service.

Many of the games will be on ESPNU so if your cable company doesn't have it...call them and complain. Otherwise DIRECTV has it at an affordable rate.


To read the complete press release at BigEast.org please click.

Who deserves a bobblehead?

Hey, I have no idea but a commenter - - the mysterious Anonymous once again - - wonders:

Will MU follow recent history and offer a Steve Novak Bobblehead? If so, who else on the above list (the post on the 2008 roster) will be bobblehead worthy in the future? What earns a bobble head?

This is the latest in a series of major issues we take head-on here at the blog. What say you all?

Scholarship Assessment

These really are the dog days of summer......not much to report. BTW, if you haven't checked out the Q/A that MU had with new assistant coach Jerry Sichting, take a look here.

While we wait on news about the final schedule for the 2006-2007 season as well as recruiting news (Jerai Grant and others will visit MU in a few weeks), here's a quick recap of what the team might look like in 2008-2009, with Mbakwe now in the mix:

Seniors:
Dominic James
Jerel McNeal
Dwight Burke
Wesley Matthews

Juniors:
Maurice Acker
Lazar Hayward
David Cubillan

Sophomores:
Scott Christopherson
Trevor Mbakwe
2007 recruit TBD

Freshmen:
Nick Williams
2008 recruit TBD
2008 recruit TBD

Even with Mbakwe, out of the ten players listed above, only two of them (Mbakwe, Burke) play inside. Lets hope TC fills out the 2007 class with another talented big man.

Marquette Basketball: The Benchmark for Program Marketing

Here's an article I never thought I'd see . . . Marquette being recognized as the benchmark for how to market a college basketball program. This article validates what many of us have noticed in the last decade -- MU is not only committed to big-time basketball, they are equally committed to providing a sense of excitement, pride, and owndership in the program to its key constituencies. Bravo, MU.

Here's the article by Lauren Reynolds at ESPN.COM, and a key excerpt.

Without a population in the millions to draw from (like other multi-sport cities), there are often more sporting options than fans. Attracting a consistent crowd for Marquette basketball games at the Bradley Center has been a lesson in creativity for the athletic department.

Nankivil Commits to University of Wisconsin-Madison

Keaton Nankivil, the highly sought-after PF from Madison Memorial High School, verbally committed to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nankivil chose UW-Madison over MU and BC. Good luck Keaton.

Marquette, having already secured a verbal from talented PF Trevor Mbakwe, still is actively recruiting a number of power forwards for the 2007 freshman class. Jerai Grant is expected to visit MU next month, as is George Goode.

MU ranked #20 in Katz' Summer Preview

MU continues to get off-season love from the gang in Bristol.

Here's the link to Katz' preview of the 2006-2007 Marquette Golden Eagles - - nothing groundbreaking, though Katz calls this group of teams his Final Four darkhorses. Expectations are justifiably high for MU rah rah.

And hey - maybe this year's squad can punctuate the 30th anniversary of MU's national championship with a trip of their own to the Final Four in Atlanta, MU's favorite home away from home (unless the Final Four is ever hosted at the Bradley Center South, aka Allstate Arena).

Crean hires Jerry Sichting to replace Panaggio

Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting that Marquette coach Tom Crean has hired Jerry Sichting to replace the departing Dan Panaggio as assistant coach. Here is the MarquetteHoops article on the hiring.

Sichting is a 10-year NBA veteran and has 10 years experience as an assistant coach in the NBA as well. Sichting played on one of the great NBA teams of all-time, the 1986 Boston Celtics. Earlier Sichting starred at Purdue, and now is a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Interestingly, Sichting followed in the footsteps of John Wooden, who also prepped at Martinsville High School before moving on to Purdue.

Most recently, Sichting worked with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jerry's son, Jared, was a walk-on at Marquette during the magical MU run to the Final Four in 2003. Jerry's primary role on the staff will be with player development and in-game strategy.

According to Rosiak, Panaggio is leaving Marquette to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers' NBDL team, the D-Fenders.

Congrats to Coach Dan and thanks for your invaluable year of service at Marquette!

Welcome to Marquette, Jerry!

Way to go, Coach Crean, on yet another homerun hire....an assistant coach with an NBA pedigree!

OT: McIlvaine saves Camp Anokijig

Last year we posted here about Jim McIlvaine's efforts to save Camp Anokijig from a developer's clutches. Looks like its Mission Accomplished for the Friends of Camp Anokijig - - the camp is thriving this summer with a record 2,100 kids participating in the 80th year of this Wisconsin tradition.

Well done, Jim.

One Scholarship Left: Will Nankivil Decide Soon?

After last week's verbal commitment from 6'8" power forward Trevor Mbakwe, Tom Crean is left with one more tender for the 2007 freshman class. So, who will join Mbake and the talented Scott Christopherson as freshmen in 2007?

There's plenty of Internet chatter about Keaton Nankivil's upcoming decision. Nankivil indicated earlier this summer that he would decide before his senior year began. He'll choose between Marquette, Boston College and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Without a doubt, a Mbakwe/Nankivil frontline would be the envy of any coach in the country. Given the loads of talent that MU has in the pipeline, particularly in the backcourt, high-ceiling post players like Nankivil and Mbakwe could potentially become impossible matchups at the next level.

Waiting in the wings are Idris Hilliard, Jerai Grant, DeJuan Blair, and George Goode though its unclear if MU has offered a scholarship to any of these players (Scout.com indicates that MU has not extended an offers any of these players -- yet).

A new name to appear on MU's radar is 6'5", 230 pound PF Tim Flowers from Chicago Simeon. Per this Bullseye blurb, Flowers has apparently attracted plenty of attention from MU after his strong performances last month.

MU lands Big Man from Minnesota

UPDATED
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting that Tom Crean has landed prize recruit Trevor Mbakwe, a 6-8 power forward out of Mendota Heights, MN. In the RCSI pre-season ranking for the class of 2007 Mbakwe ranks 67th.

MU landed the big man over the likes of Georgetown, Illinois, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Florida, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Michigan and Kentucky (although early word out of Madison is that Bo Ryan had cooled on Mbakwe).

Crean has been under pressure from some for not brining in a blue-chip big man with one of his 2007 scholarships. Landing Mbakwe should quiet some of the critics.

Mbakwe cited Tom Crean's proven track record of developing talent as a key factor in his decision:

"He's put Dwyane Wade, Travis Diener and Steve Novak in (the NBA), and Dominic James is most likely going to be there in a couple years," said Mbakwe. "A lot of guys wouldn't have pictured Travis Diener or Steve Novak in the NBA coming out of high school. They came a long way."

MU is looking for another frontcourt player with it's final scholarship for 2007, and has been recruiting Keaton Nankivil out of Madison Memorial, Idris Hilliard from The Hun School in Princeton, NJ, and Jerai Grant out of Hyattsville, MD. The Journal-Sentinel reports that MU is also pursuing PF George Goode out of Raytown, MO while some internet reports have MU after PF DeJuan Blair of Schenley high school in Pittsburgh as well.

Mbakwe's profile on Scout.com, and on Rivals.com

Rivals.com has two videos of Trevor Mbakwe here (subscription required).

MEDIA UPDATE
- Here's the Pioneer Press (MN) on the verbal.

- Here is the Minneapolis Star-Tribune on the latest high school basketball star to leave the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the desirable hoops zip code of 53233.

- Here is Ring Out Ahoya! on the Mbakwe decision.

- Here is Scout.com's interview with Mbakwe (subscribers only)

Finally, a photo of Trevor (#42) battling for a rebound during a game last season.

Welcome to Marquette, Trevor!

The Bradley Center Rocks

I admit it, I'm going through basketball withdrawl. With no MU basketball since April, I've been lookin' for a fix . . . . and found a gem on Youtube, courtesy of world-renowed Alum91.

Check out this fantastic clip from Senior Day back in March -- the opening of the MU/PC game.

Wow, the Bradley Center is electric --- MU fans are loud, passionate and completely into the game for the duration here. Its no wonder that MU averaged 14,000 per game last season (can you say 16K in 06-07?!) and wins at the BC with impressive regularlity - - - even against the nation's best.

This is one great college basketball environment. This is Marquette.

Looking Ahead: MU's Scholarship Situation

With inspiration from the bright mind of Marq2000, lets have some fun with scholarship projections for the MU program. With the talented Nick Williams now in the mix -- two years from now -- here's a quick assessment of what the team might look like in 2008-2009 when he arrives on campus:

Seniors:
Dominic James
Jerel McNeal
Dwight Burke
Wesley Matthews

Juniors:
Maurice Acker
Lazar Hayward
David Cubillan

Sophomores:
Scott Christopherson
2007 recruit TBD
2007 recruit TBD

Freshmen:
Nick Williams
2008 recruit TBD
2008 recruit TBD

Now, there's no way MU's roster will look like this in 2008 (but a guy can dream right?). There's already plenty of Internet buzz about Dominic James leaving MU after just one or two more seasons, and we've yet to see the best that McNeal or Matthews have to offer. Let's face it, these three guys will make a living playing the game and James, at least James, will be gone before the 2008 season rolls around.

But I digress. Tom Crean's strategy of early commitments in the backcourt is a reason for great optimism. This program is built on superior guard play, with guards who can not only score -- but can rebound and defend as well. Based on reports, Nick Williams fits that mold perfectly.

The biggest gap in the rundown above are post players. Out of the nine players listed above, only one of them (Burke) plays inside. Conventional wisdom holds that Crean will push to sign one or two post players for the 2007 freshman class. If things break MU's way with the 2007 class, these bigs will be the anchor for the program down the road. Clearly there's a huge opportunity for talented bigs at MU not only because of available playing time, but also the opportunity to play on a roster that will keep the floor spread and provide skilled post players with room to operate down low.

However, Crean has also shown a willingness to adapt - - if he does not get the post player he wants, he'll go JUCO for a serviceable big man which provides him with two advantages: 1) a big man who can likely contribute something immediately; and 2) these scholarships are only tied up for two years, rather than four -- leaving the coaching staff with greater roster flexibility to address early NBA entries or transfers.

Still, lets get some high school bigs for 2007 -- and balance things out.

Recruit Commits for 2008: Nick Williams

While speculation swirls around who Tom Crean will sign from the high school class of 2007, he's got a head start on 2008.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nick Williams, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard from Le Flore High School in Mobile, Ala. has verbally committed to the Golden Eagles. According to his high school coach, "he just decided he wanted to go to a pure basketball school where he has the best chance of development."

Thursday's Mobile Press-Register covers the surprising verbal commitment here.

Williams reportedly picked MU over a slew of elite programs, including Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Mississippi, Mississippi State and Miami, with Florida, Kansas and Connecticut reportedly showing interest as well.

Williams' profile on Rivals and the Ring Out Ahoya article on the commitment. Here's the Journal Sentinel's article from the Thursday paper. And Williams' profile on Scout.

MarquetteHoops notes that Williams is rated as a four-star prospect by recruiting analyst Dave Telep.

Finally, Google's cache of an article from local columnist Mike Herndon in Everything Alabama. In the article, Herndon refers to Williams as one of best players ever out of Mobile.

Congratulations to Tom Crean and his staff on landing this highly regarded recruit.

Catching Up with Travis Diener

In case you missed it, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ran a terrific Q/A with Travis Diener last night. We've linked to it here, and added a link to Travis' official website on our blogroll as well.