2011-2012 CBB Predictions & Gambling Preview: Marquette Golden Eagles (Big East)
Marquette was a bubble team in the killer Big East last season, but made it to the Big Dance losing to North Carolina in the Sweet 16.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
NCAA Basketball Season Preview: Marquette (Big East Conference)
Odds To Win National Title: +10000
Odds to win Big East: +900
They have a legit chance to get back to the NCAA Tournament even though they lost leading scorer Jimmy Butler to the NBA. Still, the Golden Eagles are a tough and physical team, but they do have some issues, especially at the PG and C position.
Marquette is ranked #23 in the AP top 25 preseason poll. Their schedule is killer this season and they not only face several preseason ranked teams in the Big East, but before conference season begins they face the ranked teams of Vanderbilt and Wisconsin.
The Golden Eagles are a wild card this season, as they will need someone to step up and take up the scoring slack with Butler gone, but they have a legit chance to go far in the Big Dance since they are such a physical team.
Additions
6’5″ G Juan Anderson is a highly regarded freshman that is a top 100 recruit. Their backcourt got some new blood with the incoming freshmen of Todd Mayo and Derrick Wilson. The Golden Eagles also picked up Jamal Wilson, who transferred from Oregon, and Jake Thomas, who transferred from South Dakota. Anderson looks to be the real deal and may get a lot of minutes this season.
Subtractions
Besides Butler gone the Golden Eagles also lost the seniors of Dwight Buycks and Joseph Fulce. Reggie Smith and Erik Williams decided to transfer. Besides Butler’s scoring Marquette will miss Buycks, who was the team’s 4th leading scorer last season and their leading assists guy. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Key Players
The big guns coming back to the Golden Eagles are Darius Johnson-Odom (15.8 ppg) and Jae Crowder (11.8 ppg). 6’4″ G Vander Blue has to step up and help out the guards in dishing out the rock this season since Marquette lacks a true PG. Anderson may start right away and he is a G/F that can score and play good D. Odom and Crowder both shot over 35% from beyond the 3-point arc last season and will have to drain the long ball again this season.
Surprising Stat: Here are 2: Marquette has made it to the Big Dance in the last 6 seasons and in the last 10 years 5 Golden Eagles players have been drafted into the NBA.
Strengths: The backcourt has to be the strength of the team with the G duo of Odom and Crowder. They are also an unselfish team that has many legit scoring options and last season ranked 19th in the nation in assists per game.
Weaknesses: The Golden Eagles are not a great rebounding team, so they will need to shoot well to win. One weakness may be a strength this season, as C Chris Otule is 6’11, but only averaged 5.1 ppg and 3.6 rpg last season. However, he may see his minutes increase in his senior season.
Post Season: The Big Dance should be in the cards, but don’t think they are good enough to win the Big East. Still, in the NCAA tourney anything can happen.
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