Marquette basketball alternate history

[Marcus92]

It is April 1989. Last month, Marquette University athletic director Bill Cords announced that head coach Bob Dukiet would not return to the team, after winning just 39 games in 3 seasons.

Now Cords stands before a press conference to introduce the 13th head coach of the program: Akron coach Bob Huggins.

Huggins, 35, was selected over Iowa assistant Rudy Washington and Arizona assistant Kevin O'Neill. The Warriors, who won the National Championship in 1977, have not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1983.

The Bob Huggins era at MU
The team saw immediate improvement on the court, returning to postseason play with two straight NIT appearances. Marquette joined the Great Midwest Conference the following year. But that would not be the biggest change for MU during the 1991-92 season.

Led by Akron transfer Anthony Buford and junior college stars Herb Jones, Nick Van Exel and Corie Blount, the Warriors won the inaugural conference title before unexpectedly storming its way to the Final Four.

That marked the first of 10 conference titles and 14 straight NCAA appearances for Marquette -- advancing to the Elite Eight in 1995-96 and the Sweet 16 in 2000-01. Top recruits during that time included consensus All-Americans Danny Fortson, Kenyon Martin (the consensus player of the year in 1999-2000) and Steve Logan.

Signs of trouble
But dark clouds were gathering over the program. Huggins' often-bombastic courtside demeanor and recruiting methods -- along with player arrests (such as Art Long charged with punching a police horse) and the team's low graduation rate (zero percent at one point) -- were questioned regularly. In 1998, Marquette received a two-year NCAA probation for lack of institutional control of the program.

Huggins turned down several offers to jump to other schools and the NBA. Then in June 2004, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The police videotape of Huggins staggering during his field sobriety test was broadcast nationally.

Huggins served a 76-day unpaid suspension. When he returned to MU, he no longer had the four-year rollover provision that had been in his contract. That left him with three years on his contract.

Marquette failed to win a league title in their final season in Conference USA, and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The program's recent problems multiplied with freshman Roy Bright dismissed from the team for bringing a firearm on campus and recruit Tyree Evans accused of statutory rape. Assistant coach Keith Degree also was arrested and charged with drunken driving.

The end of the line
The falling out with the administration was complete. When informed that his deal would not extended, Huggins still rejected a buyout. The university offered him the choice of resigning or being fired.

So the Bob Huggins era at Marquette will come to an end after 16 seasons. He won more games than any other coach in MU history, but his tenure was just as well known for controversy and conflict. Associate head coach Andy Kennedy will be asked to replace Huggins in the interim.

NOTE: Bob Huggins started at Cincinnati the same season as Kevin O'Neill did at Marquette. All of the other details are drawn from throughout Huggins' coaching career at Cincy.

[Norm]

Was Huggins even considered for the Marquette job?

[Cheeks]

Was Huggins even considered for the Marquette job?

No


It was Tony Barone, Kevin O'Neill, Rudy Washington, Jay Eck as the final four candidates. 

KO was considered the best recruiter in the nation.  You may remember the gorilla costume stunts, etc.


Berny Fine (yes, that one from Syracuse), Jim Molinari, Ken Burmeister, Quinn Buckner were names floated around.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Cannot wait for the next edition (2013), where Marquette hires Bruce Pearl instead of Wojo.

[muwarrior69]

Cannot wait for the next edition (2013), where Marquette hires Bruce Pearl instead of Wojo.

That will come out as an Amazon Prime Series: The Man in the High Castle Redux

[#UnleashSean]

Cannot wait for the next edition (2013), where Marquette hires Bruce Pearl instead of Wojo.

Or they dont rid themselves of Buzz and we get Ahmed hill and avoid a rebuild.

[Cheeks]

That will come out as an Amazon Prime Series: The Man in the High Castle Redux

Already have a title for it

[The Sultan]

Or they dont rid themselves of Buzz and we get Ahmed hill and avoid a rebuild.

Talk about alternate history.  Buzz left on his own.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Better yet, can we get a 1999 account where Dave Bliss is hired at Marquette instead of Tommy Crean???

[Silent Verbal]

Cannot wait for the next edition (2013), where Marquette hires Bruce Pearl instead of Wojo.

Yeah, we'd definitely have won some tourney games in that scenario, hey?

[NorthernDancerColt]

Wow, you are good. You sure you're not also Jussie Smollett's attorney?

[Goose]

KO was the one and only pick for many insiders.

[muguru]

Or they dont rid themselves of Buzz and we get Ahmed hill and avoid a rebuild.

This topic is over with this post right here...You sir, just won the internet. Don't forget Marial Shayok as well.

[Herman Cain]

It is April 1989. Last month, Marquette University athletic director Bill Cords announced that head coach Bob Dukiet would not return to the team, after winning just 39 games in 3 seasons.

Now Cords stands before a press conference to introduce the 13th head coach of the program: Akron coach Bob Huggins.

Huggins, 35, was selected over Iowa assistant Rudy Washington and Arizona assistant Kevin O'Neill. The Warriors, who won the National Championship in 1977, have not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1983.

The Bob Huggins era at MU
The team saw immediate improvement on the court, returning to postseason play with two straight NIT appearances. Marquette joined the Great Midwest Conference the following year. But that would not be the biggest change for MU during the 1991-92 season.

Led by Akron transfer Anthony Buford and junior college stars Herb Jones, Nick Van Exel and Corie Blount, the Warriors won the inaugural conference title before unexpectedly storming its way to the Final Four.

That marked the first of 10 conference titles and 14 straight NCAA appearances for Marquette -- advancing to the Elite Eight in 1995-96 and the Sweet 16 in 2000-01. Top recruits during that time included consensus All-Americans Danny Fortson, Kenyon Martin (the consensus player of the year in 1999-2000) and Steve Logan.

Signs of trouble
But dark clouds were gathering over the program. Huggins' often-bombastic courtside demeanor and recruiting methods -- along with player arrests (such as Art Long charged with punching a police horse) and the team's low graduation rate (zero percent at one point) -- were questioned regularly. In 1998, Marquette received a two-year NCAA probation for lack of institutional control of the program.

Huggins turned down several offers to jump to other schools and the NBA. Then in June 2004, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. The police videotape of Huggins staggering during his field sobriety test was broadcast nationally.

Huggins served a 76-day unpaid suspension. When he returned to MU, he no longer had the four-year rollover provision that had been in his contract. That left him with three years on his contract.

Marquette failed to win a league title in their final season in Conference USA, and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The program's recent problems multiplied with freshman Roy Bright dismissed from the team for bringing a firearm on campus and recruit Tyree Evans accused of statutory rape. Assistant coach Keith Degree also was arrested and charged with drunken driving.

The end of the line
The falling out with the administration was complete. When informed that his deal would not extended, Huggins still rejected a buyout. The university offered him the choice of resigning or being fired.

So the Bob Huggins era at Marquette will come to an end after 16 seasons. He won more games than any other coach in MU history, but his tenure was just as well known for controversy and conflict. Associate head coach Andy Kennedy will be asked to replace Huggins in the interim.

NOTE: Bob Huggins started at Cincinnati the same season as Kevin O'Neill did at Marquette. All of the other details are drawn from throughout Huggins' coaching career at Cincy.

This is beautiful first class work. Should be pinned to the top of the site.

[NorthernDancerColt]

I like how assistant coach Keith Legree changed his name to Keith Degree as part of a deal with some holdouts on the MU BOT.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Or they dont rid themselves of Buzz and we get Ahmed hill and avoid a rebuild.

No one rid themselves of Buzz other than Buzz.

I have often wondered what it would have been like if Buzz stayed. Hill and Shayok would have definitely helped. Taylor and JJJ likely transfer (Teve a year earlier than he eventually did). Dawson/Deonte likely still transfer. Does Car3no still come here? I know he had a Marquette connection, wasn't sure if Buzz would have gone after him or not.

Does a roster of Derrick, Hill, Shayok, Juan, and Luke with Duane, Sandy, and Satchel Pierce coming off the bench do better than how 14-15 actually went? I would guess yes given that Buzz is the better coach but I don't think that team would have made any postseasons. We may have still been in for a rebuild though it would have definitely gone faster.

[Marcus92]

I like how assistant coach Keith Legree changed his name to Keith Degree as part of a deal with some holdouts on the MU BOT.

LOL, typo there. Good catch.

[Cheeks]

Does Milwaukee have police horses for Huggy Bear's players to punch?   That would be a critical missed opportunity in college hoops lore.

[Herman Cain]

No one rid themselves of Buzz other than Buzz.

I have often wondered what it would have been like if Buzz stayed. Hill and Shayok would have definitely helped. Taylor and JJJ likely transfer (Teve a year earlier than he eventually did). Dawson/Deonte likely still transfer. Does Car3no still come here? I know he had a Marquette connection, wasn't sure if Buzz would have gone after him or not.

Does a roster of Derrick, Hill, Shayok, Juan, and Luke with Duane, Sandy, and Satchel Pierce coming off the bench do better than how 14-15 actually went? I would guess yes given that Buzz is the better coach but I don't think that team would have made any postseasons. We may have still been in for a rebuild though it would have definitely gone faster.

Deonte and Dawson would have stayed, Buzz liked those guys. JJJ stayed all four years because his Mother wanted him to get that MU degree, although I will say Wojo realized on his potential, with the shot reconstruction,  in a way that Buzz probably couldn't. 

[Cheeks]

Deonte and Dawson would have stayed, Buzz liked those guys. JJJ stayed all four years because his Mother wanted him to get that MU degree, although I will say Wojo realized on his potential, with the shot reconstruction,  in a way that Buzz probably couldn't.

Why are you saying Deonte would say when Deonte said he couldn't stay and had to get away from his surroundings?  Why is it Buzz couldn't keep McKay or Vander to stay? 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Deonte and Dawson would have stayed, Buzz liked those guys. JJJ stayed all four years because his Mother wanted him to get that MU degree, although I will say Wojo realized on his potential, with the shot reconstruction,  in a way that Buzz probably couldn't.

Dawson maybe, though I think being behind Derrick and Duane again would have been tough for him. Deonte I am fairly confident on but who knows?

[Cheeks]

Deonte and Dawson would have stayed, Buzz liked those guys. JJJ stayed all four years because his Mother wanted him to get that MU degree, although I will say Wojo realized on his potential, with the shot reconstruction,  in a way that Buzz probably couldn't.

Burton's mom passed away, and he went to MU to be close to her.  When she passed, it was time to get away.  His words, I have no reason to not believe him.  He needed to escape.

"He couldn't even go to the stadium or stuff because it took a toll on him because he always thought about my mom because she was always there at the games — and loud," said Burton's brother, Omar.

Burton not only wanted to leave Marquette, he wanted to quit basketball.

"Basketball wasn't the same," Burton said.

But Burton's family urged him to keep playing.

"I used to have to keep reminding him what mama said," Grafton said. "Mama said to keep going on and do it. I told him, 'Even if you have to fake it,' I said, 'Fake it — just go with it.'

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/cyclone-insider/2017/03/14/deonte-burton-leaving-legacy----bright-pink-one----honor-his-mom/99162890/