BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DePaul @ Marquette

January 25, 2006

For the second time in a week Marquette (4-2) and DePaul (1-5) meet in a Big East conference tilt, this time at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Last week, Marquette raced out to a big lead of over 20-pts in the first half and lead 49-30 at the half, before holding on to a 82-79 win at DePaul. The Blue Demons played that game without Wilson Chandler, who was suspended, and had to go small, leaving Steve Novak to go wild from the perimter with 24 pts and Dominic James continued his assault towards the Big East Freshmen of the Year award with a 29-pt outburst on the road.

For pregame stories and previews around the net, here are some of the links we have found:

The Show Goes on With Juggling Act (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Marquette Hosts Depaul (Cracked Sidewalks)
DePaul/Marquette Preview (BlueDemonsNation.com)
Senior Novak Leads Young Marquette (AP Story)

for our brief preview and prediction, please click below and don't forget to add your prediction in the comments section!

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DePaul is expected to get the multi-dimensional Wilson Chandler back tonight, but he is not expected to start. How will he be accepted back by his teammates is something to watch for, as DePaul dropped two very winnable games while he was suspended, hopefully it is a learning experienced for a player with a very high upside.

Chandler was a player I believed would pressure Steve Novak on both ends of the floor with his ability to drive and shoot on offense and length and athletic ability to defend. His absence was a major blow to DePaul's hopes for winning. Tonight, the tables could be turned as Novak is the one whose status is in question as he is suffering from a high ankle sprain that has limited him in practice this week. Already down Wesley Mathews, I am not sure how much deeper Tom Crean can dig to juggle his line-up to make up for any lack of production, let alone an absence, from Novak. High ankle sprains are very delicate, just ask Taquan Dean, but every ankle injury is different. This really could be the deciding factor in this game.

DePaul should have some confidence based from the 2nd half against Marquette last week, but they could not pull out a win at Providence following it up. Of course, more issues arose as Sammy Mejia and Draelon Burns did not start the game and Wesley Green, as well as Chandler, did not play. Everyone is expected back in action tonight and the Blue Demons have to get moving if they want to be in Mew York for the Big East tournament.

Marquette has shown they are for real and have kept doing what they need to do since their stunning win against UConn to open the Big East season. They got by with a win at Seton Hall and edged Notre Dame on Novak's buzzer beater last time out and held off DePaul last weekend. At 4-2, they are making a strong case for the NCAA tournament bubble and should be a tournament team if they can continue to win games like this at home. After today, they travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday which is one of five tough road games they will have in the conference to finish out their schedule. Holding serve at home is imperative and this is one they will have to have.

With everything that each team seems to be encountering, this is a very tough game to predict. Marquette is a 7.5-pt favorite and I think that is a little too much with the question surrounding Novak and I do think both teams match-up pretty well if everyone is on the floor. I will pick the home team, but in a really close game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 68 DePaul 64

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Marquette @ DePaul

January 17, 2006


Another Conference USA rivalry is renewed tonight when DePaul and Marquette meet in Chicago. Marquette is coming off a 104-85 road loss at the hands of West Virginia, but did manage a conference road win earlier in the week when they beat Seton Hall, 67-63, in the Meadowlands. DePaul is coming off a disappointing home lose, in overtime, to Rutgers. DePaul, which had raced out to early leads against Notre Dame and Pittsburgh in their two previous game, were victims of a slow start and could not finish off Rutgers towards the end of regulation when they had a chance.

DePaul has been on a roller coaster all season and hit another low point against the Scarlet Knights on Sunday when they had one of their poor shooting games. I look for them to pick back up the intensity tonight against a familiar foe in a better atmosphere than what they had to work with on Sunday.

I do like how both these teams match-up with each other. Slowing down Dominic James is going to be the order of first importance for the Blue Demons and making sure nobody leaves Steve Novak open and standing still on the perimeter. Novak is shooting the ball with extreme confidence and when he has that, he can make almost any shot from the perimeter.

Sammy Mejia is going to have to carry the load for DePaul once again and he has a definite size advantage against the Marquette guards. If he can get Jerel McNeal in any kind of foul trouble, that would disrupt the Marquette attack, especially with Wesley Mathews already out with an injury. Wilson Chandler and Karron Clarke need to take advantage of their athletic edge on Novak and dan Fitzgerald and force them to defend what they do best. Neither team will look to get much offense out of the middle, but if Wesley Green can give DePaul an offensive lift inside, like he did a few times before getting hurt, that would go a long way in helping DePaul win at home. Draelon Burns continues to add some scoring punch as well, and they will need it.

The way DePaul has bounced back all season, you have to beleive they can do it again. Losing this game would be a killer in their season, losing back to back at home to Rutgers and Marquette after the way they battled back in December to respectability would be a crushing blow.

For Marquette, I really like this team and how they are coming together, even though those that have followed my prediction know I have picked against them in all four conference games, it is nothing against them. Circumstances change game by game and I think this is a game that is much more needed by the Blue Demons. DePaul enters the game as favorites by 2.5 pts and this is one that should come down to the wire. I am going to give a slight edge to Sammy Mejia down the stretch in a very good game.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

DePaul 69 Marquette 68

Leave your prediction in the comment section!

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BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DePaul @ Cincinnati

January 4, 2006


Tipping off their Conference USA schedule tonight is DePaul and Cincinnati when they, oh wait, this is 2006...let me start again...DePaul travels to Cincinnati for each team's first conference game as a member of the "New" Big East. Cincinnati enters the game on a roll, winning their last 8 games. DePaul is also playing well of late, winning 4 of 5, including wins over Wake Forest, Dayton and Cal away from home.

The Pomeroy Rankings have Cincinnati winning this game by 11 on their home floor. Both teams enter conference play with strong RPI ratings (Cincinnati #15 and DePaul #21).

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Cincinnati is not very deep, but they are talented and experienced. They are likely to use just 8 players, five of which are seniors, and have little depth up front. However, like I said, they are talented, led by seniors James White and Eric Hicks. White, who has been an enigma over his career, seems to be putting all his talent together for his senior season. White is shooting 52% from the floor, 44% from 3-pt range and 89% from the line and it all adds up to an 18 PPG average and he chips in 5.4 rebounds a game. Hicks is a work horse inside that DePaul might have some trouble with, averaged 14 PPG and 8 rebounds. Devan Downey has taken the reings of the Bearcats and averages nearly 15 PPG and leads the team with 4.2 assists a game. He also makes 85% of his free throws, as a team, Cincinnati shoots 79% from the line. That will make a difference in many games. Rounding out the probable starting line-up for Cincinnati is senior Armien Kirkland (9.6 PPG) and JUCO Cedric McGowan (8.8 PPG and 6.5 rebounds). Coming off the bench is senior Chadd Moore and junior Ronald Allen along with Jihad Muhhammad (8 PPG) who provides energy and an offensive spark.

The Blue Demons have shown they can win on the road and do it against quality teams. They beat Wake Forest in Winston-Salem with starting SF Karron Clarke earlier this season. They are led by strong 6'5 guard Sammy Mejia. The junior leads the team with 15.7 PPG and 2.5 assists. He has one of the best mid-range games in the country and his match-up with James White (likely defensive assignment for White) is one I highly anticipate. Jabarie Currie and Cliff Clinkscales have been manning the PG position. Currie has more of an offensive game going for him (8 PPG), but his negative assist to turnover ratio needs improvement. Clinkscales is not much of an offensive threat, but does handle the ball very well, but needs to slow down at times. The inconsistent play at the point could be of concern in the Big East. Providing a big lift for the Blue Demons, especially over their last 5 games, has been Draelon Burns, who seems to hit key shots when they need them. He averages 10 PPG. Karron Clarke has shaken off an ankle injury and also contributes 10 PPG and 5 rebounds and has the athletic ability to run with the Bearcats. Freshmen Wilson Chandler has also lived up to his billing, leading the Blue Demons with 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game to go with his 7.2 a game scoring average. Senior Marlon Brumfield is still a defensive presence inside and Marcus Heard and Lorenzo Thompson round out the expected rotation tonight, which will be short Wesley Green, due to injury and it is unlikely Rashod Woods will make the trip, the frosh has seen very little time to this point.

It is going to be very interesting at which speed the game is played. DePaul would probably like to keep the game in the 60's while Cincinnati would like to get the game into the 80's and use their athletic ability to break this game open. Controlling tempo on the road in a conference game is very difficult and, with each team a little thin right now, I think the home team has their way.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Cincinnati 75
DePaul 66

Please leave your game prediction in the comments section!

Here are some other game preview articles:

Cincinnai Enquirer
Cincinnati Post
Chicago Trib Looks at DePaul's Move to Big East
Aurora Beacon News

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