Seth Davis: Diamon Simpson is the Missing Piece for Marquette

[SCdem@MU]

Interesting pick by Seth Davis and certainly not a name that any of us picked when we talked about this last week.

I'd still prefer Blair or Griffin... but I like the numbers Simpson has put up.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/seth_davis/01/27/jigsaw.man/index.html

Marquette

Biggest deficiency: The Golden Eagles are a favorite of the Jigsaw Man, because these past three years they've been a talented team with an obvious hole in the middle. You won't find a better threesome of guards anywhere in Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews, and Lazar Hayward is having a great year as a perimeter-oriented power forward.

Missing piece: Diamon Simpson, 6-7 senior forward, Saint Mary's

If the Gaels make a run in the NCAA tournament, maybe Simpson will stop being thought of as that guy who plays with Patrick Mills. Simpson is a hoss in his own right. He's already the school's all-time leading shotblocker (1.95 per game this season), and even though he's a little undersized he's ranked eighth nationally in rebounds at 10.9 per game. Simpson is not all that adept at creating his own shot, but as his respectable 12.8 points per game suggests, he gets plenty of points off the offensive glass and knows how to finish if he is properly set up.

From the article, I think I would rather have Seth's pick for Villanova's missing piece, Ahmad Nivins:

Missing piece: Ahmad Nivins, 6-9 senior forward, Saint Joseph's

Jay Wright wouldn't even have to pay the guy's moving costs! Hey, the Jigsaw Man understands there's a recession going on. So Nivins can just hop a cab across town and plant himself in Nova's starting lineup. Nivins has long been one of the most underexposed players in the game. He has really improved his offensive skills and is enjoying the best season of his career, averaging 20.4 points (on 67.7 percent shooting), 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.

What does everyone here think? Can our friends on the West Coast or Philly area Marquette grads enlighten us as to whether or not either would be a good fit at Marquette?

[dont.do.it.just.dont.doit]

In Adrian Woj's book, "The Miracle of St. Anthony," I believe he details Marquette watching Nivins and the coach telling Nivins that Marquette was there. It was the first time a big-time school watched him and I think it made him nervous and he had a horrible game. I think that's how the story goes. -- Tom Keegan, Class if '81.

[Pakuni]

Maybe MU can acquire him at the trading deadline.

I usually enjoy reading Davis, but that piece was outright silly.

[🏀]

It was a silly piece, but a change of pace from the usual. A bit refreshing to see how a lowly regarding recruit could have been so much better if Crean would have found the right one.

[77ncaachamps]

St. Mary's? WCC, homie. 'Nuff said.

Without Patty Mills and the four other Aussie imports, they're a typical run of the mill, over-achieving WCC team: Can upset some, but probably not.

Funny MU link: Frosh Collin Chiverton was an MU recruit.

[lab_warrior]

I tell you who I would love to have...either Barro or Trend Blackledge back.  I feel the new staff could have developed these big guys a little better, and Barro had the rapport with the big4. 

[bradforster]

It's obvious MU would rather have Blake Griffin.  No kidding!  The idea with Seth's column is to choose someone whose an "under the radar" type player.  Anyone can throw an All American on another team and call it a day's work.  Davis is taking the challenging approach of selecting a more inconspicuous athlete to fill a team's biggest need. 

[Marquette Gyros]

St. Mary's? WCC, homie. 'Nuff said.

Without Patty Mills and the four other Aussie imports, they're a typical run of the mill, over-achieving WCC team: Can upset some, but probably not.

Which is like saying without DJ, Jerel, and Wes, we're a typical run of the mill Big East team. 

St. Mary's will make some noise in the tourney.

[77ncaachamps]

Which is like saying without DJ, Jerel, and Wes, we're a typical run of the mill Big East team. 

St. Mary's will make some noise in the tourney.

Actually, no. The other Aussies are not stars or really good support, except for one.

With Mills out for a month, just watch them drop, drop, drop out of the Top 25 and freefall.