OT: 2009 Marquette

[johnhuskies95]

Watching the Cavs-Bulls game and Jimmy Butler got me thinking about how many good players were on that 2009 Marquette team. Butler was only a sophomore so he wasn't all that productive compared to his later seasons, but that team had at least 5 very good/great college players. Obviously UConn has had a few teams over the years that were more loaded than them but you don't think of Marquette that way.

Jerel McNeal is the school's all time leading scorer and was a great defender(A.J ankle breaker notwithstanding). Wesley Matthews was a 19 ppg scorer and is now a 15 ppg scorer in the NBA. Lazar Heyward was a first round pick and the school's second leading all time scorer. Dominic James was a Big East rookie of the year who averaged double digits every year in college.

It's a testament to how good the Big East was back then that they only finished fifth in the conference. That road win by UConn for JC's 800th is also one of the better regular season wins in program history, IMO.

 

[champs99and04]

I think Butler was on that 2011 sweet sixteen team with Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom, as well.

I've always said Marquette is one of the more underrated programs in America. Their program has been churning out quality pros for what seems like forever.

A lot of great games between UConn and Marquette over the years - I wish we were still in their conference.

 

[James]

johnson odom was so filthy in college. I can see him rearing his head into the league on a contender as a he gets a bit older

 

[Scoe]

The Tom Crean led Marquette team had D Wade of course, Novak, and Diener.

 

[James]

novak dropping 40 on us was one of the lowest moments i've had as a uconn fan. it was despicable

 

[Scoe]

novak dropping 40 on us was one of the lowest moments i've had as a uconn fan. it was despicable

I remember Calhoun ripped the ball out of Marcus Williams hands going into a TO, Donyell was at that game and he brought Lebron with him.

 

[James]

I remember Calhoun ripped the ball out of Marcus Williams hands going into a TO, Donyell was at that game and he brought Lebron with him.

oh shich yeah, i forgot about that. I do remember williams just not bringing it, and boone looking helpless, donning that 'boone face'. the helpless one where he knew coach was gonna tear him a knew him. the same he had on during the GM debacle

 

[Husky1964]

The Novak 40 game was on a Sat. night before 18 K RABID Warrior fans. No way we could have beaten them that night.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Wasn't that Marcus Williams' first game back?

 

[Rocktheworld]

johnson odom was so filthy in college. I can see him rearing his head into the league on a contender as a he gets a bit older

I remember hating seeing that guy.

 

[Ts5034]

That Marquette game where Novak torched us for 40 was Marquette's first game in the Big East. The result of that game was so unexpected because it was our first game with Marcus back and I figured we would have played better than we already had been up to that point.

 

[444JR]

johnson odom was so filthy in college. I can see him rearing his head into the league on a contender as a he gets a bit older

He was a Laker his first few years, a nice second round pickup at 55, it seemed at the time. You could see what he had early on, microwave type of offensive player. However, he didn't seem like he was quite ready for the league physically. Wouldn't be surprised if you are right.

 

[CTBasketball]

Wasn't that Marcus Williams' first game back?

Yes it was. It was also the first time I saw those swirly optical allusions in the student section - it felt like I was on Mars. Novak couldn't miss that night - and surprisingly we always played bad in Big East openers.