Marquette Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

Buzz Williams knew this season would have its challenges. He was just hoping to have a little more time before those challenges popped up. Like, say, at least until the start of practice in October.

The semester had barely started before bad news started to hit the program.

Freshman guard Junior Cadougan ruptured his right Achilles’ during a workout in September … and, just like that, the team’s prized recruit was lost for the season. Fellow guard Darius Johnson-Odom sprained a ligament in his left foot, and was expected to miss a month. Oh, and Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews all completed their eligibility after last season.

That left Williams with only three guards as practice began. One of them was Maurice Acker, who left the team in June to get his academics in order and was reinstated at the end of August. Veteran David Cubillan and junior college transfer Dwight Buycks were the other guards.

A year ago, Williams went small at times, going with Lazar Hayward in the pivot surrounded by four smaller players. This season may lead to the opposite approach, with swingmen Jimmy Butler and Jerome Maymon moving to shooting guard to fill up the minutes.

Of course, the frontcourt is having its issues as well. Joe Fulce had knee surgery in June and was still recovering by early fall. Moreover, center Liam McMorrow suffered a health issue that forced him to end his basketball career, Pat Hazel transferred to Boston University, and Brett Roseboro chose to play for St. Bonaventure.

The bad luck extended to the recruiting class as well. Recruit Monterale Clark was arrested and charged with sexual assault, and Aaron Bowan backed out of his verbal commitment once assistant coach Dale Layer left the Golden Eagles to become the head coach at Liberty.

All in all, Williams will be thrilled to start the 2009-10 season. It can’t possibly go any worse than the offseason did. At least he does have one of the Big East’s best players in Hayward to build around, though at this point Hayward should check the sky before leaving the house lest he get hit by a meteor or something.

NOTES, QUOTES

• The Golden Eagles are looking to extend a couple of impressive streaks. For the past four years, Marquette has won at least 10 Big East games and made it to the NCAA Tournament all four years.

• G Maurice Acker had an eventful offseason. He and the coaching staff decided to have him leave the team to concentrate on his academics in the spring, but got the grades in gear and returned in time for the start of practice in the fall.

• F Lazar Hayward is a strong candidate for all-conference honors in the Big East. He averaged 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds last season, each of which puts him among the top five among returning players in the conference.

Last Year:   25-10 overall, 12-6 in the Big East.

Head Coach:   Buzz Williams (career 39-27); second year at Marquette (25-10).

Quote To Note:   “I think our guys have handled everything very well, and we’ll continue to work. I’ve been incredibly blessed to have an opportunity to be here, and we’ll continue to work. There isn’t a coach or a team or a player on our schedule who feels sorry for us. So we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves.”—Coach Buzz Williams, in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, on the offseason adversity.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   G Junior Cadougan was supposed to be the key member of the incoming class, but he is out for the year with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Jeronne Maymon and Erik Williams will both have chances to win time on the wing, while junior college All-Americans Dwight Buycks and Darius Johnson-Odom will take minutes in the backcourt.

Key Early-season Games:   The Golden Eagles have a number of tough games, so Buzz Williams won’t have a ton of time to get his rotation in place. They play in the Old Spice Classic, with games against Xavier and Creighton or Michigan in the first two rounds, plus trips to North Carolina State and Wisconsin.

Program Direction:   We’ll see. This is a big year for the program, as it has to replace the production that was central to the success of last season’s squad. The Golden Eagles have surprised in the past when not much was expected of them; this team hopes to do the same.

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Maurice Acker, SG David Cubillan, SF Jimmy Butler, PF Lazar Hayward, C Chris Otule.

Roster Report:  

• G Junior Cadougan ruptured his Achilles’ during a September workout and is out for the season. The freshman was considered a strong candidate to start at point guard.

• C Darius Johnson-Odom sprained a ligament in his left foot during a September workout. He was expected to be ready for the start of the season, although limited at the start of practice.

• F Joe Fulce had knee surgery in early June and said he was nearly 100 percent at the start of practice in October.

• F Brett Roseboro left the team at the start of the semester, and transferred to St. Bonaventure.