The season approaches
Written by: noreply@blogger.com (Tim Blair)
....so here are a host of media reports to keep you updated on Marquette hoops:
Marquette's schedule for the upcoming season is now finalized. That BIG EAST slate is brutal -- starting off with a game at West Virginia on December 29. Rosiak has the news here (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/63313162.html).
Marquette graduate Dominic James will play the game for a living this winter after agreeing to a contract with Mersin in the Turkish basketball league (http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/63315507.html). Former Tennessee All-American Chris Lofton played for Mersin last season (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersin_BB). The "super athletic" James (http://www.eurobasket.com/Turkey/basketball.asp?NewsID=173745) could suit up as soon as next week for his new team. Good luck, Dominic!
Jeff Sagarin's all-time ranking of college basketball programs (http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/1004/cbe1.pdf) is a mess and shows what can happen when you become a slave to stats. The guys at Deadspin lay into the most egregious errors (http://thebiglead.com/?p=23421#comments) while Pat Forde picks it apart as well (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=4531910). MU is ranked #24 all-time by Sagarin -- the highest-rated Jesuit university on the list. Looking to other Jesuit programs --- Georgetown inexplicably falls in at #42. SLU (!!!???) lands at #53, St. Joseph's at #56, Xavier at #59, Betting Central at #73, and San Francisco at #75.
Looking to recruiting, the Sports Bubbler updates the status of MU target Vander Blue (http://community.sportsbubbler.com/blogs/iwbs_sports_blog/archive/2009/09/30/chasing-vander-blue.aspx). Blue is back on the market after de-committing from Wisconsin-Madison during the summer. Meanwhile the top player in New York City, JayVaughn Pinkston, has MU in his top five (http://www.zagsblog.com/2009/10/06/pinkston-mulling-options-collier-sets-visits/). Buzz is also looking at Jordair Jett from Notre Dame Prep (http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2009/10/02/irish_lose_scott_martin_georgia_southern_gets_terrific_steal) (where Lazar Hayward laced'em up). The guys at the NBE Report like MU's chances for Blue and SF Justin Coleman (http://w3.nbebasketball.com/2009/10/06/nbes-crystal-spalding-recruiting-ball/) from Virginia.
Finally, media day for MU is scheduled for October 14 and Marquette Madness will kick things off on October 16 at The Al (http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/100509aaa.html).
Oh --- Al's Run....must. donate. Thanks for your support -- click here to join the effort (http://www.firstgiving.com/MarquetteFans).
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2009/10/season-approaches.html