ESPN Insider Says Exactly What I'm Thinking...

[MisterJaylenBrownMU]

Insider Intel: Raising Milwaukee
Marquette may be primed to make a Tourney run

By Chris Sprow
ESPN The Magazine
Archive
A big win under their belt -- finally -- Marquette is now the perfect foil for Mizzou.

But you had these guys buried. Come on, admit it. Marquette was done. Starting point guard -- hurt? Four-game losing streak to end the season -- check. Signature buzzer-beating heartbreak loss of the season -- own it.

D-O-N-E. Done.

So why are they the perfect team to take down third-seeded Missouri on Sunday?

A bunch of reasons, some more clear after their first-round win over Utah State.

Put your shovels away. There are four-game losing streaks, and there is getting beat in a five-car drag race by a 'Vette, a Ferrari, a Lamborghini and John Force's funny car, all while nursing a bad engine. Marquette lost close games to Louisville, Pitt and UConn -- check the seeds lately? -- and a disturbingly hot Syracuse. In the Big East Tourney, they lost on a buzzer-beater to third-seeded Villanova. If that's enough to get your season killed, then everybody's facing the undertaker.

They are the antidote to pressure. Missouri will turn you over. According to KenPom.com, they were 8th in the nation in opponent's turnover percentage. Marquette? They don't cought it up. The team is practically all guards. They are 4th best in the NCAA Tourney and 11th in the country at holding onto the ball.

They can win ugly. In their firs- round game against Utah State, Missouri's stars (Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews) played terribly -- everywhere -- and they won. Mizzou wants to make it into a messy game and as Marquette proved against Utah State, that's just fine with the Golden Eagles

Making a Mess

Marquette won despite very uneven performances from its two remaining stars.

Matthews                       McNeal          Total   
Location   FG   Points   FG   Points   FG   Points
In Paint   1-8   2           1-3   4            3-11   6
Mid-range   1-3   2           1-3   2            2-6   4
Three-point   1-5   3           0-4   0            1-9   3
Free Throw   5-6   5           7-9   7           12-15   12

They only lose to great teams. Marquette has lost nine games this year. Of them, three were to 1-seeds, three were to 3-seeds and two were to Tennessee and Dayton, also tourney teams. By beating Utah State, the Golden Eagles took down a 30-4 team that loses less than once a month and missed just four shots from inside the arc in the second half.

Bring the big man. He isn't DeJuan Blair, but Utah State star forward Gary Wilkinson was licking his chops to play Marquette's short front line. He scored 15 points on just 5-for-12 shooting and grabbed only four rebounds. They can deal with the Mizzou bigs.

In the end, Marquette might be the perfect team for a run. Going into this tourney, not only did nobody believe in them, it's hard to know if they believed in themselves. But they're led by senior stars like McNeal and Matthews -- both still due for a good game -- and hey, they were finally on the happy end of a heartbreaker.

The stats say now it might be Missouri's turn.

Chris Sprow is a general editor for ETM.com. Statistical information provided by ESPN Stats & Analysis.

[mu_hilltopper]

very nice .. thanks for posting that.

[StillWarriors]

I like the sound of it. Jerel and Wes didn't just have one bad game; they've strung a bunch together. They are either overdue, or this is just how they play without the assistance DJ provided. We'll see. Would love to see them both put together a bust out game.

Even in that pro-MU article, Hayward gets no love. Way under appreciated outside of MU circles.

[tharocket]

They only lose to great teams.

Well, let's at least be honest here.  I'm still not quite convinced South Florida is a great team, even with their fantastic post season performance.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's a lot like 2003.  I feel better about Sunday then I did today.  I hate slow teams against disciplined players and systems.  My only worry Sunday is that we run out of gas.