ESPN Insider: Marquette Tourney Resume

[IAmMarquette]

TEAM DATA
Points per game: 72
Points allowed: 65
Scoring margin: +7

FG percentage: .439
FG allowed: .417
3PT percentage: .333
3PT allowed: .344
3PT-to-FG attempts: .327
FT percentage: .671
FT totals: 515/768

Rebound margin: +1.2
Turnover margin: -0.9
Assist-to-turnover ratio: 0.97:1
Assist-to-FG ratio: 0.56:1

Player statistics are for the regular season only.

The Players
Starters
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
1 Dominic James
(5-11, 175, SO) 33.0 14.9 ppg, 4.9 apg 60 steals .280 3PT
Comment: Naismith Award finalist; an exceptional floor leader with an explosive first step; with a 41-inch vertical, exhibits freakish athletic and rebounding abilities for a man his size; has developed into a tremendous defender; can play the 2, but struggled with his shot late in the season.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
2 Jerel McNeal
(6-3, 195, SO) 30.2 14.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg 76 steals 118 TO
Comment: Day-to-day with injured right thumb; "glue" guy who leads by example; arguably Marquette's best all-around player, has improved immensely, especially with his range and shot selection; tenacious defender among the nation's leaders in steals; fearless attacker of the basket; strong rebounder.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
3 Wesley Matthews
(6-5, 215, SO) 31.0 12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg .752 FT .271 3PT
Comment: Very athletic, quick and strong; can play the 1, 2 or 3 and can guard the 1, 2, 3 or 4; cerebral player with an exceptional feel for the game; solid rebounder.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
4 Lazar Hayward
(6-6, 215, FR) 15.6 6.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg 20 steals .220 3PT
Comment:  Very raw player who's a work in progress; as the season progressed, became more and more comfortable, confident and effective on the floor; strong, can hold his own in the post and score in traffic.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
5 Ousmane Barro
(6-10, 235, JR) 27.6 8.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg .594 FG 0.3 Asst/TO
Comment: A former soccer player from Senegal who's in only his sixth year of organized basketball; notched six double-doubles this season after none last year; an outstanding offensive rebounder, scores a lot of points off put-backs; struggles a bit against bigger guys; runs the floor extremely well for his size.
Rotation
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
F Dan Fitzgerald
(6-9, 205, JR) 20.9 6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg .416 3PT  0.7 Asst/TO
Comment: Catch-and-release sniper whose job is to come in and hit open shots.
G David Cubillan
(6-0, 170, FR) 20.8 5.4 ppg, 1.5 apg .430 3PT  24 TO
Comment: Really strong for his size; values the ball and rarely makes mistakes; deadly from beyond the arc; active on-ball defender with quick feet and hands.
F Dwight Burke
(6-8, 245, SO) 9.0 0.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg 14 blocks .269 FT
Comment: Offensively challenged role player who defends and rebounds against wide bodies.
F Jamil Lott
(6-7, 225, SR) 10.3 2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg .489 FG  .556 FT 
Comment: Serviceable front-court player who spells Ousmane Barro and Lazar Hayward; athletic leaper who runs the floor well.
F/C Mike Kinsella
(7-0, 250, SR) 3.8 0.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg .667 (2-for-3) 3PT .200 (1-for-5) FT
Comment: Nice touch for a big man; versatile, can play the 3, 4 or 5.
Complete roster | Team statistics


Season notes
High point On November 21, one night after scoring 27 points off turnovers in an 87-72 dispatching of Texas Tech, the Golden Eagles turned 19 turnovers into 25 points and dumped No. 8 Duke, 73-62, to win the CBE Classic in Kansas City and remain undefeated at 6-0. In the title-game victory over the Blue Devils, Dominic James poured in a season-high 25 points to go with seven assists and three rebounds, and Jerel McNeal racked up 17 points, six rebounds and six steals.
Lowlight In the Pepsi Blue & Gold Classic championship game on December 2, Marquette dropped a 64-60 decision to visiting North Dakota State, an independent squad in just its third season in Division I. In suffering their first loss of the campaign to fall to 8-1, the Golden Eagles dropped their home-tournament title game for the second year in a row.
Most Revealing Moment On March 3, playing without Jerel McNeal, who injured his right thumb in practice one day earlier, Marquette finished off a season sweep of Pittsburgh with a gutsy, 75-71 victory over the No. 12 Panthers in Milwaukee. In McNeal's absence, David Cubillan, who went 8-for-8 from the line in the final minute, and Wesley Matthews stepped up to score 20 points apiece. In besting Pitt without McNeal, a second-team All-Big East selection, the Golden Eagles showed their depth and resiliency.
Did You Know? Of the five former Conference USA squads that joined the Big East before the '05-'06 season, Marquette has compiled the best regular-season record against league foes thus far. By finishing 10-6 in each of their first two conference campaigns, the Golden Eagles (20-12) have tallied a better two-year mark than Louisville (18-14), DePaul (14-18), Cincinnati (10-22) and South Florida (4-28).


Scouting report
Offensive Preference Boasting an array of quick, athletic players, Marquette likes to force tempo and score in transition. In the half-court, the Golden Eagles use pro-style sets aimed at allowing their talented guards to shoot, create or drive-and-kick.
Defensive Philosophy Marquette employs a variety of pressure-oriented defenses, ranging from a 2-3 zone to a full-court man. Extremely active, the Golden Eagles look to create turnovers and fast-break opportunities. As with his offensive strategies, Tom Crean's defensive schemes revolve around strong guard play.
Secret Strength As evidenced in Marquette's regular-season-ending victory over Pitt, 7-foot, 250-pound Mike Kinsella can knock down a three in a pinch. Although the senior reserve had yet to even attempt a three-pointer in a game before making two of three that day, he's been known to light it up from beyond the arc in practice.
Achilles' Heel The Golden Eagles' interior defense is suspect, especially when playing against space-eating post players such as Pitt's Aaron Gray and Notre Dame's Luke Harangody.
Will Lose When ... Its guards don't get into a scoring rhythm. If Marquette has to look to its big men for offense, it's in serious trouble.
Famous Last Words Although trite, it's true: the No. 1 key to success in the NCAA Tournament is exceptional guard play, and the Golden Eagles are loaded in that department. With or without Jerel McNeal, Marquette will be one tough out. But if McNeal is healthy, anything is possible. With one of the nation's most dynamic talents in Dominic James leading the way, the Golden Eagles may be a Final Four dark horse as they were in 2003.


Tournament History
64-team era Overall
NCAA appearances: 7 (of 22)
Seed average: 6.29
Highest seed: No. 3 (2003)
Lowest seed: No. 12 (1993)
Biggest upset: 1994 vs. No. 3 Kentucky
Most upsetting: 1996 vs. No. 12 Arkansas
NCAA appearances: 24
All-time record: 32-25 (.561)
Best finish: 1977, national champions
Coach's NCAA record: Tom Crean (4-3, .571)

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/resume?page=tourneyguide07_269

[StillAWarrior]

Thanks for posting this.  Any chance we could get a look at Michigan State's?

[LastWarrior]

I secong that but can we also get NC's??

Thanks!

[ilovefreeway]

NCAA appearances: 24
All-time record: 32-25

How is that possible?  How did we lose 2 NCAA games in one season (actually 3 since we lost 0 in '77)? 

[mu_hilltopper]

Biggest upset: 1994 vs. No. 3 Kentucky

Wasn't UK #1 in 2003 when we beat them to go the FF?  Or am I confusing ranks with seeds.

[IAmMarquette]

NCAA appearances: 24
All-time record: 32-25

How is that possible?  How did we lose 2 NCAA games in one season (actually 3 since we lost 0 in '77)? 

I was wondering the same thing. During the "Bracketology" shows on ESPN, they kept showing teams with more tournament losses than appearances, or teams who had won championships with as many losses as appearances. Gotta love the WorldWide Leader...

[NavinRJohnson]

NCAA appearances: 24
All-time record: 32-25

How is that possible?  How did we lose 2 NCAA games in one season (actually 3 since we lost 0 in '77)? 

Didn't they used to have consolation games?

[IAmMarquette]

Here's Michigan State...

TEAM DATA
Points per game: 65
Points allowed: 56.7
Scoring margin: +8.3

FG percentage: .471
FG allowed: .383
3PT percentage: .373
3PT allowed: .319
3PT-to-FG attempts: .282
FT percentage: .710
FT totals: 454/639

Rebound margin: +1.4
Turnover margin: +1.2
Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.06:1
Assist-to-FG ratio: 0.69:1

Player statistics are for the regular season only.

The Players
Starters
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
1 Travis Walton
(6-2, 195, SO) 32.4 6.7 ppg, 5.5 apg .806 FT .324 3PT
Comment: Plays fly-paper defense, runs the offense with confidence.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
2 Drew Neitzel
(6-0, 180, JR) 35.3 18.3 ppg, 4.1 apg .884 FT 2.5 TO/game
Comment: Has blossomed from role player last year into an All-American this season.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
3 Raymar Morgan
(6-7, 220, FR) 27.0 11.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg .486 FG .267 3PT
Comment: A star in the making; for now he's a good second fiddle to Neitzel.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
4 Marquise Gray
(6-8, 235, SO) 18.4 6.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg .572 FG .551 FT
Comment: Sets molar-rattling screens aplenty to free up Neitzel; shoots better covered (.572 FG) than uncovered (.551 FT).  
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
5 Drew Naymick
(6-10, 245, JR) 21.4 3.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg .761 FT 0.6 apg
Comment: Watches more film than Roger Ebert and does the little things well, playing stout post "D," setting screens and blocking shots.
Rotation
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
F Goran Suton
(6-10, 245, SO) 26.7 9.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg .500 FG 3 FO
Comment: Physical player was picking up cheap early fouls, so MSU coach Tom Izzo moved him from starting five to sixth-man role to strengthen his bench.
G Isaiah Dahlman
(6-6, 185, FR) 17.9 4.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg .737 FT .300 3PT
Comment: Knee injury forced him to miss seven games; decent sub.
G Maurice Joseph
(6-4, 190, SO) 16.9 6.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg .750 FT .393 FG
Comment: A stress fracture in his right foot slowed him for a while, but he's back now.
C Idong Ibok
(6-11, 255, SO) 10.9 2.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg .667 FG .515 FT
Comment: All he was blocking early this season was a courtside customer's view as he sat on the bench; now he's a reliable defender.
Complete roster | Team statistics


Season notes
High point Drew Neitzel's 28-point gem led the Spartans to a 64-55 win over No. 1 Wisconsin on February 20.
Lowlight A four-game losing skid between Jan. 27 and Feb. 7, all to Big Ten foes, had Spartan fans up in arms.
Most Revealing Moment Michigan State followed up its four-game losing streak by stringing together four NCAA tourney resume-building wins in successionover Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Did You Know? Tom Izzo is starting to develop a decent little coaching tree. Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants at one time to Izzo at Michigan State. They are Tom Crean (Marquette), Brian Gregory (Dayton), Stan Heath (Arkansas), Stan Joplin (Toledo) and Doug Wojcik (Tulsa).


Scouting report
Offensive Preference Drew Neitzel is Michigan State's leading man. But his supporting actors, particularly guys like Raymar Morgan and Goran Suton, are much better than most outsiders think.
Defensive Philosophy Tom Izzo believes in hard-nosed, man-to-man "D" and hitting the glass with everything you've got. If a player doesn't, he sits.
Secret Strength Freshman Morgan gets overshadowed by other Big Ten newbies, such as Ohio State's trio of Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook, but this kid is a player. His inside-outside offensive ability, defensive aptitude and rebounding prowess are atypical for a Michigan State freshman.  
Achilles' Heel Michigan State sometimes falls into the trap of standing around and waiting for Neitzel to save them with his Superman act.
Will Lose When ... Neitzel doesn't get enough scoring help from his friends.
Famous Last Words Michigan State could be a real sleeper. The Spartans have beaten Texas and Wisconsin. They've lost on the road by two points apiece to Ohio State and Wisconsin. Everyone is healthy for the first time in months. Izzo is a big-game coach. Neitzel is a big-time shot-maker, and the Spartans play killer D and are one of the nation's best rebounding teams. They'll be a tough out in this tournament, just as they are every March.


Tournament History
64-team era Overall
NCAA appearances: 16 (of 22)
Seed average: 4.87
Highest seed: No. 1 (1990, 2000, 2001)
Lowest seed: No. 10 (1985, 2002)
Biggest upset: 2005 vs. No. 2 Kentucky
Most upsetting: 1995 vs. No. 14 Weber State
NCAA appearances: 19
All-time record: 40-19 (.678)
Best finish: 1979 and 2000, national champions
Coach's NCAA record: Tom Izzo (23-8, .742)

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/resume?page=tourneyguide07_127


And North Carolina...
TEAM DATA
Points per game: 86
Points allowed: 68.1
Scoring margin: +17.9

FG percentage: .504
FG allowed: .409
3PT percentage: .365
3PT allowed: .334
3PT-to-FG attempts: .253
FT percentage: .707
FT totals: 597/844

Rebound margin: +1.3
Turnover margin: -0.9
Assist-to-turnover ratio: 1.34:1
Assist-to-FG ratio: 0.59:1

Player statistics are for the regular season only.

The Players
Starters
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
1 Ty Lawson
(5-11, 193, FR) 24.4 10.0 ppg, 5.4 apg .521 FG 2.3 tpg
Comment: An absolute blur with the ball in his hands; has already caught the eye of NBA scouts with his rare combination of quickness, strength and scoring.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
2 Wayne Ellington
(6-4, 195, FR) 23.7 11.8 ppg, 2.3 apg .804 FT 1.3 tpg
Comment:  Shooting stroke is a thing of beauty; played high school ball with Gerald Henderson, currently "Public Enemy No. 1" in Chapel Hill after his elbow broke Tyler Hansbrough's nose on March 4.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
3 Reyshawn Terry
(6-8, 232, SR) 21.3 9.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg .430 3PT 1.9 tpg
Comment: Glue guy for the young Heels; experienced, steady player, tough defender.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
4 Brandan Wright
(6-9, 205, FR) 26.9 14.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg .660 FG .551 FT
Comment: Led ACC in field goal percentage (.660 FG) and has NBA scouts drooling with 7-foot-3 wingspan, scoring ability and athleticism.
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
5 Tyler Hansbrough
(6-9, 245, SO) 29.5 18.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg .533 FG .250 3PT
Comment: First-team ACC player is absolutely relentless in the low post; his determination, great hands and strength make him one of the best players in the college game.
Rotation
Pos. Player Min. Basics Good Bad
G/F Danny Green
(6-5, 210, SO) 14.1 5.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg .872 FT .424 FG
Comment: It's been a tough year for this gifted swingman, whose father has been incarcerated since last March on drug trafficking charges.
F/C Deon Thompson
(6-8, 245, FR) 12.5 4.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg .530 FG 1.0 tpg
Comment: Would start at most D-I programs; will get his chance when Hansbrough and Wright head off to the pros, maybe after this Big Dance.
G/F Marcus Ginyard
(6-5, 218, SO) 16.9 4.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg 1.6 apg 1.1 tpg
Comment: Heels' defensive stopper absolutely lives in the passing lanes (1.1 steals per game).
G Bobby Frasor
(6-3, 208, SO) 11.5 2.7 ppg, 2.0 apg .375 FT 2.8 Asst/TO
Comment: Gives Lawson a rest in each half, but his shot has been M.I.A. all season (.382 FG, .375 FT).
Complete roster | Team statistics


Season notes
High point In a season filled with highs, the biggest was completing their first regular-season sweep of Duke since 1995-96 with an 86-72 victory over Coach K and Co. on March 4.
Lowlight Back-to-back road losses to Maryland (February 25) and Georgia Tech (March 1) had some folks along Tobacco Road questioning the Heels. The questions centered around UNC's toughness after they were out-rebounded by both the Terps and the Yellow Jackets.
Most Revealing Moment With journalists and bloggers questioning their toughness, North Carolina played with passion and effort in their regular-season-ending win over Duke, a game that will forever be known as "Bloody Sunday" after an elbow by Duke's Gerald Henderson broke Tyler Hansbrough's nose.
Did You Know? North Carolina and UCLA have both reached an NCAA record-tying 16 Final Fours. The Heels have reached at least one Final Four in each of the last seven decades (1946, 1957, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2005).  


Scouting report
Offensive Preference Roy Williams has thoroughbreds, so he wisely lets them run. Four of his starters average in double figures and all four (Hansbrough, Wright, Lawson and Ellington) have bright NBA futures. The up-tempo style leads to lots of easy baskets, and as a result the Heels shot an impressive .504 from the field.  
Defensive Philosophy Like his teacher, Dean Smith, Williams prefers man-to-man D and subs like an NHL coach in hopes of wearing out opponents with his waves of talent. The rapid substitution approach ensures that UNC always has fresh legs on defense. It appears to work, as the Heels held their opponents to 41.1% shooting, and their 25 regular-season wins came by an average of 24 points.
Secret Strength The Tar Heels led the ACC and ranked in the top five nationally in rebounding, so it's often one-and-done at the offensive end for opponents.
Achilles' Heel Some question North Carolina's toughness in close games. In their six regular-season losses, foes averaged 50% shooting and out-rebounded the Heels by an average of 1.5 per loss.
Will Lose When ... A great team beats them. This team is loaded with talent, so chances are that it's going to take an experienced team from a power conference to upend them.
Famous Last Words This team has the depth of talent, coaching and favorable seed to be a Final Four team. Sure, they're young, with three freshmen in the starting five. But conventional wisdom is that a team needs one, preferably two future NBA players to be a national champion. North Carolina has four future first-round picks in its starting five. The issue may be defense at crunch time.


Tournament History
64-team era Overall
NCAA appearances: 19 (of 22)
Seed average: 2.73
Highest seed: No. 1 (seven times)
Lowest seed: No. 8 (2000)
Biggest upset: 2000 vs. No. 1 Stanford
Most upsetting: 1999 vs. No. 14 Weber State
NCAA appearances: 37
All-time record: 89-37 (.706)
Best finish: 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005 national champions
Coach's NCAA record: Roy Williams (44-16, .733)

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney07/resume?page=tourneyguide07_153


Also from ESPN, their AccuScore predictor has MU a 56% favorite over MSU, with their simulation giving MU the win, 64-63. (This was all graphics, so I wasn't able to copy & paste).

[Sir Lawrence]

Didn't they used to have consolation games?


Yes--for example in 1959 we lost to Michigan State and then we lost to Kentucky.  In 1968 we lost to Kentucky and then played another game, beating East Tenn. State.

[LastWarrior]

After reading that review, I feel less confident about beating MSU.  They sound like world-beaters!  Am I missing something or is it just ESPN hype?  I haven't seen any MSU games this year so i'm not sure how good they are.

[Final Four or Bust]

After reading that review, I feel less confident about beating MSU.  They sound like world-beaters!  Am I missing something or is it just ESPN hype?  I haven't seen any MSU games this year so i'm not sure how good they are.

Let's put it this way- within the last few weeks they almost beat Wisconsin two times.

[RawdogDX]

After reading that review, I feel less confident about beating MSU.  They sound like world-beaters!  Am I missing something or is it just ESPN hype?  I haven't seen any MSU games this year so i'm not sure how good they are.

Let's put it this way- within the last few weeks they almost beat Wisconsin two times.

And that would be meaningful if wisco was as good as advertised. 

Every one of these espn things make people sound better than they are, MU sounds way better than i thought they would as well.  If you would have told me that espn would have kinsella as our secret strength a few weeks ago, i would have thought you were crazy.

[TVDirector]

to boot, we were in the recruiting for several of their players....
this will be an interesting game, for certain.