Jerel McNeal News

The Big East was supposed to take a hit - a major one. UConn lost three starters, Marquette watched its three guards graduate and Providence was decimated by graduation as well.

That the Marquette Golden Eagles have advanced to face the Florida State Seminoles in the championship game of the Old Spice Classic at 6:30 p.m. Sunday night probably comes as a surprise to many, considering the team's lack of experience and depth.

Buzz Williams was wrong, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind admitting that. During an interview Wednesday in Orlando at Marquette's practice before the start of the Old Spice Classic, Williams said his Marquette squad was the worst team in the tournament.

After boasting what was arguably the best play of any conference last year, the Big East was expected to take a step back in 2009-2010. However, in early season play, the Big East has shown that it has just as much fire power as last year.

Stu Douglass let the ball float out of his hands, almost chucking it toward the rim.

Last year ended. The players he felt closest to were gone. At Marquette, it was the end of an era with four-year starters Dominic James , Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews graduating, it left Hayward with a bunch of guys who hadn't played much before.

The primer for FIBA EuroChallenge 2009-10 continues at BallinEurope with a brief look at Group D, a quartet of teams fairly well familiar with European tournament play.

Thornton senior Reggie Smith always heard other recruits say they chose a certain school because it just felt right.

Jimmy Butler scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in his first start at Marquette, leading the Golden Eagles to an 85-62 victory over Centenary on Friday night.

In his second career start, senior guard David Cubillan filled the boxscore with 12 points, nine assists and four steals.

A year ago, it was unclear exactly where David Cubillan stood with coach Buzz Williams and the Marquette Golden Eagles.

MILWAUKEE - Soft-spoken Lazar Hayward has been thrust into the spotlight. If Marquette is going to do anything beyond the putrid projections, Hayward must carry the scoring load for the Golden Eagles, become a vocal leader and teach nine underclassmen who've never logged a significant minute how to win in the formidable Big East.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 11:49 p.m. Vote 0 Votes From: The Grateful Red Subject: Signing with Marquette Please reconsider Vander Blue, I'm writing this e-mail not as a Badger Herald sports columnist, but as the sorrowful spokesperson for the UW student section, the Grateful Red.

According to the New York Daily News undrafted rookie Marcus Landry has earned a roster spot with the New York Knicks.

MILWAUKEE - Marquette coach Buzz Williams made a promise to his young team this season.

Ask second-year Marquette basketball coach Buzz Williams if he is a tough self-evaluator and he'll tell you "extremely." Ask him how his coaching performance in his team's 25-10 season last year held up to his self-evaluation, he gets aerobic on you.

For anyone needing a Butch Cassidy/Sundance Kid who-are-these-guys kind of fix, the Al McGuire Center was the place to be Wednesday.

I am not exactly talking about Marquette Madness Friday night. Sure the slam dunk contest will be fun to watch and it will be neat to see all the new players scrimmage.

Highly touted freshman Jeronne Maymon made it only a few minutes into his first collegiate workout before drawing Marquette coach Buzz Williams' ire.

Anyone want to hire me? Hardworking, dependable journalism student looking for a decent job.