====== 2008-2009 Marquette Men's Basketball ======

{{men_s_basketball:mediaguide_08.jpg?200  }}The 2008-09 season marked [[Buzz Williams|Buzz Williams']] inaugural season as the Warriors' head coach. 

Buzz inherited a veteran team that won 25 games the previous year and returned four starters, including 3 highly-touted seniors, two of whom had previously flirted with early NBA departures.  By the end of the season, [[Jerel McNeal]] was Marquette's all-time leader in scoring and steals, while [[Dominic James]] finished third points, second in assists and fourth in steals.  [[Wesley Matthews]] finished his career as Marquette's all-time leader in made free throws and was eighth in scoring.  Williams also inherited [[Lazar Hayward]], who is on pace to be amongst Marquette's all-time leaders in scoring and rebounding. 

Expectations were high for a group of seniors who had made the NCAA tournament the previous three seasons, but only managed one win under [[Tom Crean]].  The team started out strong and was ranked throughout the season, but when Dominic James broke his foot during the opening minutes of the [[Connecticut]] game on February 25th, it started a downward trend.  Marquette played their remaining regular season opponents close, but could not pull out a win against any of their highly-ranked opponents.  Their season-ending slide dropped them to fifth in the Big East standings, with a surging [[Villanova]] squad moving up to fourth, which gave them a two-day bye for the Big East Tournament.  

Marquette managed to beat [[St. John's]] on the second day of the Big East Tournament, but lost to the Final Four-bound [[Villanova]] Wildcats on a last-second shot the next day.  Marquette received a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament, but a tough draw in a [[Utah State]] team, whose boisterous fans would travel very well to Boise, Idaho.  Marquette managed to get past [[Utah State]] and faced [[Missouri]] in the second round.  The night before the game, it was announced that [[Dominic James]] would be available to play.  James ended up playing less than 20 minutes and did not score, but was able to end his Marquette career on his terms.  Marquette lost a close game to a [[Missouri]] team that ended up dismantling a [[Memphis State|Memphis]] squad in the Sweet Sixteen, who many had predicted to be contenders for a national title.





























===== Schedule =====
^ Date      ^  Opponent                  ^  Location      ^ Results ^  Record  ^  TV  ^ Notes/Promo ^
|  Oct 25  |   [[Marquette Madness]]   |  Al McGuire Center  |  [[mnm_10_25_08|Complete]]  |  |  |  |
^  Exhibition  ^^^^^^^  
|  Nov 8   |   [[Colorado State-Pueblo]]    |  Home          |  [[CSU_Pueblo 11_08_08|W 94-73]]  | | | |
^  Non Conference  ^^^^^^^ 
|  Nov 14  |   [[Houston Baptist]]          |  Home          |  [[Houston_Baptist_11_14_08|W 95-64]]  |  1-0    | |Magnetic Schedule  |
|  Nov 17  |   [[Chicago State]]        |  Home          |  [[Chicago_State_11_18_08|W 106-87]]  |  2-0   |  ESPN FC  | Chicago Invitational Challenge / Poster Schedule  |
|  Nov 22  |  [[UW-Milwaukee]]          |  Home          |  [[UW-Milwaukee_11_22_08|W 100-80]]   |  3-0   |  ESPN FC & BEN   |#1,400 Victory in School History |
|  Nov 25  |  [[Texas Southern]]        |  Home          |  [[TexSouthern_11_25_08|W 85-68]]   |  4-0   |  ESPN FC  | Chicago Invitational Challenge |
|  Nov 28  |  [[Northern Iowa]]         |  Sears Center  |  [[NIowa_11_28_08|W 73-43]]   |   5-0  |  | Chicago Invitational Challenge |
|  Nov 29  |  [[Dayton]]                |  Sears Center  |  [[Dayton_11_29_08|L 89-75]]   |   5-1  |  BEN  | Chicago Invitational Challenge |
|  Dec 2   |  [[Central Michigan]]      |  Home          |  [[CMU_12_02_08|W 81-67]]   |  6-1   |  ESPN FC  | |
|  Dec 6   |  [[UW-Madison]]    |  Home          |  [[UW_12_06_08|W 61-58]]   |  7-1   |  ESPNU  | Baird T-Shirts  |
|  Dec 13  |  [[IPFW]]                  |  Home          |  [[IPFW_12_13_08|W 69-50]]  |  8-1   | | |
|  Dec 16  |  [[Tennessee]]             |  Nashville     |  [[Tenn_12_16_08|L 68-80]]   |  8-2   |  ESPN  | |
|  Dec 19  |  [[Western Carolina]]      |  Home          |  [[WCar_12_19_08|W 94-77]]   |  9-2   |  ESPN FC & BEN  | |
|  Dec 22  |  [[North Carolina State|NC State]]  |  RBC Center    |   [[NCST_12_22_08|W 68-65]]  |  10-2   |  ESPNU  |Dominic James game winning 3-pointer|
|  Dec 28  |  [[Presbyterian College]]  |  Home          |   [[Presby_12_28_08|W 84-45]]  |  11-2    |  BEN  | |
^  [[Big East|Big East Conference]]    ^^^^^^^ 
|  Jan 1   |  [[Villanova]]             |  Home          |   [[Vill_01_01_09|W 79-72]]  |  12-2   (1-0)  |  ESPN2  | |
|  Jan 4   |  [[Cincinnati]]            |  Home          |   [[Cinci_01_04_09|W 84-50]]  |  13-2 (2-0)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | Trading Cards Set, Jerel McNeal makes 7 three-pointers  |
|  Jan 7   |  [[Rutgers]]               |  Away          |   [[Rutgers_01_07_09|W 81-76]]  |  14-2 (3-0)  |  ESPN FC  | |
|  Jan 10  |  [[West Virginia]]         |  Home          |   [[WVU_01_10_09|W 75-53]]  |  15-2 (4-0)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | Trading Cards Set  |          
|  Jan 17  |  [[Providence]]            |  Away          |  [[Providence_01_17_09|W 91-82]]   |  16-2 (5-0)      |  ESPN2  | |
|  Jan 24  |  [[DePaul]]                |  Home          |  [[Depaul_01_24_09|W 79-70]]  |  17-2 (6-0)     |  ESPN2  | Trading Cards Set  |
|  Jan 26  |  [[Notre Dame]]            |  Away          |  [[Notre Dame_01_26_09|W 71-64]]   |  18-2 (7-0)   |  ESPN  | |
|  Jan 31  |  [[Georgetown]]            |  Home          |  [[Georgetown_01_31_09|W 94-82]]   |  19-2 (8-0)   |  ESPN FC  | Trading Cards Set / Flag  |
|  Feb 3   |  [[DePaul]]                |  Away  |  [[Depaul_02_03_09|W 76-61]]  |  20-2 (9-0)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | |
|  Feb 6   |  [[South Florida]]  |  Away  |  [[South_Florida_02_06_09|L 57-56]]   |  20-3 (9-1)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | |
|  Feb 10  |  [[Villanova]]  |  Away  |  [[Vill_02_10_09|L 102-84]]   |  20-4 (9-2)  |  ESPN2  | |
|  Feb 14  |  [[St. John's]]  |  Home  |  [[St._John's 02_14_09| W 73-59]]   |  21-4 (10-2)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | Al's Night / Al McGuire Statue |
|  Feb 17  |  [[Seton Hall]]            |  Home  |  [[Seton_Hall 02_17_09|W 79-67]]   |  22-4 (11-2)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | MU Mini-Backboard  |
|  Feb 21  |  [[Georgetown]]            |  Away  |  [[Georgetown 02_21_09|W 78-72]]  |  23-4 (12-2)  |  ESPN  | |
|  Feb 25  |  [[Connecticut]]           |  Home          |  [[Uconn 02_25_09|L 93-82]]     |  23-5 (12-3)  |  |  |
|  Mar 1   |  [[Louisville]]            |  Away          |  [[Louisville 03_01_09|L 62-58]]  |  23-6 (12-4)  |  CBS  | |
|  Mar 4   |  [[Pittsburgh]]            |  Away          |  [[Pitt 03_04_09|L 90-75]]   |  23-7 (12-5)  |  ESPN2  | |
|  Mar 7   |  [[Syracuse]]              |  Home          |  [[Syracuse 03_07_09|L 86-79]]   |  23-8 (12-6)  |  ESPN FC & BEN  | Senior Cards  |
^  [[Big East Tournament]]  ^^^^^^^
|  Mar 11   |  [[St. John's]]            |  Away          |  [[St._John's 03_11_09|W 74-45]]   |  24-8 (13-6)  |  ESPN2  | |
|  Mar 12   |  [[Villanova]]            |  Away          |  [[Vill 03_12_09|L 76-75]]   |   24-9 (13-7)  |  ESPN2  | |
^  [[NCAA Tournament]]  (MU #6 Seed)    ^^^^^^^ 
|  Mar 20   |  [[Utah State]]  |  Boise, ID          |  [[Utah_State 03_20_09|W 58-57]]   |  25-9 (13-7)   |  CBS  |Utah State #11 Seed  |
|  Mar 22   |  [[Missouri]]  |  Boise, ID          |  [[Missouri 03_22_09|L 83-79]]   |  25-10 (13-7)   |  CBS  |Missouri #3 Seed|
 
  *Most BIG EAST Network local and syndicated games were available on ESPN Full Court, MASN, SNY, and/or MSG.

  *Marquette was in discussions with UW-Green Bay in 2007 for a multi-season agreement which did not occur. 

===== Roster =====

^ No. ^ Name                      ^ Ht./Wt.   ^ Pos.  ^ Year     ^ Hometown (High School) ^
| 1   | [[Dominic James]]         | 5-11/175  | G     | SR       | Richmond, Ind. (Richmond) |
| 22  | [[Jerel McNeal]]          | 6-3/195   | G     | SR       | Chicago, IL (Hillcrest) |
| 23  | [[Wesley Matthews]]       | 6-5/215   | G     | SR       | Madison, WI (Memorial) |
| 12  | [[Dwight Burke]]          | 6-8/245   | F     | SR       | Brooklyn, NY (St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.)) |
| 2   | [[Maurice Acker]]         | 5-8/165   | G     | JR       | Hazelcrest, IL (Hillcrest) |
| 10  | [[David Cubillan]]        | 6-0/170   | G     | JR       | Mara Caibo, Venezuela (St. Benedict's (N.J.)) |
| 32  | [[Lazar Hayward]]         | 6-6/215   | F     | JR       | Buffalo, NY (Notre Dame Prep (Mass.)) |
| 33    | [[Jimmy Butler]]        | 6-6/215  | G     | SO       | Tomball, TX (Tomball HS) |
| 21    | [[Joseph Fulce]]        | 6-7/210  | SF     | SO       | Plano, TX (Plano HS) |
| 4   | [[Patrick Hazel]]         | 6-7/215   | F     | SO       | Blair, NJ. (Blair Academy) |
| 45  | [[Robert Frozena]]        |6-1/165  | G     | SO       | Sherwood, WI (St. Mary's H.S.) |  
| 42    | [[Chris Otule]]        | 6-10/240  | C     | FR       | Sugar Land, TX (George Bush HS) |
| 55    | [[Liam McMorrow]]        | 7-0/260  | C     | FR-Redshirt Xfer  | Canada (Durham College) |
|0 | <del>[[Scott Christopherson]]</del>  | 6-2/180   | G     | SO       | Melrose, WI (La Crosse Aquinas ) |
|     | <del>[[Nick Williams]]</del>         | 6-4/200   | G     | FR       | Mobile, AL (Le Flore) |
|     | <del>[[Tyshawn Taylor]]</del>        | 6-2/170  | G     | FR       | Jersey City, NJ (St. Anthony HS) |
|33 | <del>[[Trevor Mbakwe]]</del>         | 6-7/220   | F     | SO       | Mendota Heights, MN. (St. Bernard's) |

=== Notes ===

  *After [[Tom Crean]] abandoned Marquette in April 2008, [[Nick Williams]] and [[Tyshawn Taylor]] asked for and received releases from their National Letter of Intent to attend Marquette.  [[Scott Christopherson]] also asked to be released from Marquette after his first year of play.  Taylor ended up being a huge star at Kansas. Tom Crean stole Nick Williams for Indiana, but Williams left the Hoosiers after one year.  Christopherson transfered to Iowa State.
  *The day before the 2008 school year began, [[Trevor Mbakwe]] decided to quit the team and leave Marquette "to go the junior college route".
  *[[Jimmy Butler]] was [[Buzz Williams]]' first recruit as head coach of Marquette.


===== Coaching Staff =====
  *[[Buzz Williams]] - Head Coach \\
  *[[Dale Layer]] - Assistant Coach \\
  *[[Tony Benford]] - Assistant Coach \\
  *[[David "Aki" Collins]] - Assistant Coach\\
  *[[Ernest Eugene]] - Trainer\\
  *[[Scott Monarch]] - Director of Basketball Operations\\
  *[[Jake Nelp]] - Basketball Technology Assistant 
  *[[Fr. William Kelly]] - Team Chaplain



===== Jersey Record =====
^  Jersey  ^  Overall Record  ^  Big East Record  ^  Jersey  ^  Overall Record  ^  Big East Record  ^
|  {{men_s_basketball:2008_alt.png|}}  |  **0-2**  |  **0-1**  |  {{men_s_basketball:2008_home.png|}}  |  **12-0**  |  **4-0**  |
|  {{:men_s_basketball:2010_away.png|}}  |  **6-6**  |  **5-3**  |  {{:men_s_basketball:2008_alt2.png|}}  |  **7-2**  |  **3-2**  |


===== Rankings =====
^Week^  AP  ^  ESPN/USA Today  ^
|Preseason|  16 (592 votes) |  17 (219 votes)  |
|  1  |  15 (653 votes) |  17 (236 votes)  |
|  2  |  15 (735 votes)  |  15 (284 votes)  |
|  3  |  25 (221 votes)  |  ORV (86 votes)  |
|  4  |  24 (222 votes)  |  24 (102 votes)  |
|  5  |  24 (240 votes)  |  23 (130 votes)  |
|  6  |  ORV (69 votes)  |  25 (58 votes)  |
|  7  |  ORV (79 votes)  |  25 (55 votes)  |
|  8  |  18 (436 votes)  |  15 (251 votes)  |
|  9  |  14 (752 votes)  |  14 (353 votes)  |
|  10  |  11 (1003 votes)  |  10 (469 votes)  |
|  11  |  8 (1,209 votes)  |  8 (538 votes)  |
|  12  |  8 (1,358 votes)  |  8 (586 votes)  |