Best Defensive stoppers according to Fran Franchilla...

[denverMU]

#3 in the country Jerel McNeal, Marquette

3. Jerel McNeal, Marquette
If you look in the dictionary under the description "junkyard dog," you will see a picture of this guy. Although he's only 6-foot-3, he's got the competitiveness, strength and athletic ability to guard four positions on the court and is the Golden Eagles' most important player.

Great press, I hope the rest of the team helps out too.

[TVDirector]

agree with Fran on this one...

nice pub, for sure.

[Mayor McCheese]

who were the two ahead of McNeal?  Just curious.

[77ncaachamps]

Is that a new nickname for Jerel: "Junkyard Dog?"

RUFF! RUFF!



I like it! 

[jficke13]

for some reason when I think of McNeal I don't want to get that image in my head.

[denverMU]

Here are the top ten...
    1. Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
    2. Hasheem Thabeet/Jeff Adrien, UConn
    3. Jerel McNeal, Marquette
    4. Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina
    5. Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
    6. Antonio Anderson, Memphis
    7. Chris Kramer, Purdue
    8. Jon Brockman, Washington
    9. Bryan Mullins, Southern Illinois
    10. Darren Collison, UCLA

[spiral97]

So he's really #4?  It annoys me when rankings have a top 10 and include 11.  Big Ten logic stinks

[denverMU]

?????????

[spiral97]

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#2 is apparently a tie between Adrien and Thabeet..

[denverMU]

I believe he is counting the two as a tandem for #2.

2. Hasheem Thabeet/Jeff Adrien, UConn
While Thabeet could emerge as the country's most improved big man on the offensive end this season, at 7-3 he is already a Dikembe Mutombo-like force on defense for Jim Calhoun. With Adrien's presence alongside Thabeet, the Huskies will defend the basket like a Secret Service detail on the campaign trail. They are the major reasons UConn will emerge from a rare two-year slumber.

[Dry White Toast]

I interpret it as he's really #2 b/c Thabeet and Adrien wouldn't be ranked so high without the other playing by their side.

In any case, that is impressive company.  I've always loved watching Jerel play.  Glad to see people outside the MU community taking notice.