Blue, Gardner & Williams show MU's depth with Bucknell up next
Written by: jpudner@concentricgrasstops.com (bamamarquettefan1)
Since joining the Big East (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/big_east), MU has had to worry about quick turnarounds or a single twisted ankle due to a lack of depth and the physical abuse they took against teams that towered over them. Not anymore.
Friday night 11 of 13 players on the roster registered steals and/or blocked shots, and 11 of 13 players scored against Prairie A&M (http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2010/11/warriors-slay-panthers.html). Three questions jump out about the game Sunday against a Bucknell team that only trailed at sixth-ranked Villanova by 54-46 with 6:10 to play (http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=303160222). An impressive win against Bucknell on Sunday might indicate that Marquette (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/2010) is once again closer to the top of the Big East than anyone thought in the preseason, but three things may determine if that will happen:
1. Can Marquette come anywhere close to their defensive pressure from Friday night against a team that protects the ball as well as Bucknell?
Vander Blue (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/vander_blue) started and led the defensive barrage with incredibly quick hands that resulted in 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 4 steals, all team highs to lead a suffocating defense. Bucknell was one of the best teams in the country at protecting the ball last year (http://kenpom.com/team.php?team=Bucknell&y=2010), and in the first 10 minutes of the second half only had one turnover against Villanova to pull within 44-38. MU forced 13 turnovers in the first 17 minutes against Prairie View, more than Bucknell had all game.
2. Can Virginia 1st Team All-State center Davante Gardner (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/davante_gardner) come anywhere close to his dominating second half performance having to face a much taller 6-foot-10 Mike Muscala (http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=46309) Sunday?
Many thought Gardner was too heavy to contribute this year, but all he showed was incredible strength and soft hands. If a rebound or pass hit his hands, he had it. Gardner made all 7 field goals and all 3 free throws he attempted, and is now averaging 17.0 ppg as a Division I player. However, Prairie View was small, and if Gardner gets in Sunday it may be against 6-foot-10 Mike Muscala, who had a strong freshman year himself last year and put up 10 points and 8 rebounds at #6 Villanova Friday.
3. With all the great recruits, will 4-star, 6-foot-7 sophomore Erik Williams (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/erik_williams) get another surprise start?
After seeming to be the odd man out in the exhibition, Williams made the most of a surprise start when he came out of the gates on fire with a jumper and a traditional 3-point play in the opening minutes en route to 12 points on 4-6 shooting and 4-4 free throws. The surprise performances of Williams and Gardner as well as having Blue playing so big as a guard helped MU to one of its most dominating inside games in memory. When was the last time MU blocked 11 shots and out rebounded a team 51 to 19, while scoring 62 points in the paint?
We know we can expect a lot from Jimmy Butler (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/jimmy_butler), DJO (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/darius_johnson-odom) and Jae Crowder (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/jae_crowder) most nights, and Joe Fulce (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/joseph_fulce) (7 rebounds in 12 minutes) and Dwight Buycks (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/dwight_buycks) (7 assists) will contribute. However, with the potential contributions coming from the entire roster, whether it was Blue, Gardner and Williams Friday or Reggie Smith (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/reggie_smith), Junior Cadougan (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/junior_cadougan), Jamail Jones (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/jamail_jones) and Chris Otule (http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/chris_otule) in the exhibition, MU has a lot of options.
Just 1-0, but a lot of potential already.
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2010/11/blue-gardner-williams-show-mus-depth.html