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

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