Re: Marquette
Why is this guy putting out my plays? LOL
Dave M@linsky
GAME: Utah State @ Marquette Mar 20, 2009 12:30PM
SPORT: College Basketball Picks
PICK: Marquette
Offered at: -4.5
REASON FOR PICK: 4* #850 MARQUETTE over UTAH STATE
12:30 Eastern
No, Marquette is not the same team without Dominic James. But now that there has been a full week of practice time to make some adjustments the Golden Eagles are still far better than this opponent, and bring some major matchup advantages that they can exploit, along with a sincere sense of purpose ? you will see shaved heads when they take the court today, a sign that seniors Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and the supporting cast have not given up on their mission.
While Marquette was indeed 1-5 after losing James, when you take a closer look it is difficult to find any fault at all. Three of the defeats came against tourney #1 seeds Louisville (62-58 in a hard-fought game on the road), Pittsburgh (where they led by nine on the road in the second half), and Connecticut (the actual game in which James was injured); while the other two were vs. #3 seeds Syracuse (in overtime) and Villanova (76-75 at the buzzer in Madison Square Garden). The only time they stepped down in class at all in that span was a 74-45 blowout of St. John?s in the Big East tourney opener. And the reality is that they are stepping way down in clss again.
With James this was a Final Four contender, but without him the Sweet 16 may still be within reach, and this particular opponent was an excellent draw. The athleticism of McNeal and Matthews will be too much for a slow Aggie defense, which means penetration to the basket to set up easy scoring opportunities, and likely foul trouble as well for a team unaccustomed to this level of athleticism. The Utah State schedule rated only #179 this season, without a single road game against an NCAA tourney team, and yet there were signs of wear down the stretch anyway ? late-season road losses by 10 at Boise State, 13 at Nevada and 11 at a Saint Mary?s team without Patty Mills, and in the W.A.C. tourney the Aggies trailed New Mexico State by 13 in the second half of the semi-finals before gutting out a one-point win.
Stew Morrill is one of the best tactical coaches around, but you do not attract great athletes to Logan, Utah. As such he has only gone 1-6 in the Big Dance with this program, and the resume does not bring nearly enough to be in this short of a price range against this class of opponent.
BTW I hate touts.