Marquette/Ohio State preview: Season kickoff in the Carrier Classic
Nov 9, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT
Getty Images It’s finally here, folks.
The first full day of college basketball games (that actually count) is upon us, with one of the feature games being Marquette versus No. 4 Ohio State in the Carrier Classic at 7 p.m. EST on the NBC Sports Network. The two teams will get down to business aboard the flight deck of the USS Yorktown in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Ohio State enters the seasons with very few holes. Maybe none. Gone is Jared Sullinger, but DeShaun Thomas could’ve easily been an NBA draft pick, but he and his 15.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game returned for his junior season. The nation’s best on-ball defender in Aaron Craft comes back to terrorize any guard he mans up on. He’s probably going to be assigned to make Junior Cadougan and Arizona State transfer Trent Lockett’s nights a living hell.
Marquette has to replace two of the toughest players in the Big East last season, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. The aforementioned Lockett (13 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists with the Sun Devils last season) and Cadougan (5.4 assists per game in 2011-12) will anchor the backcourt, with Vander Blue in the mix. Chris Otule anchors an the front line.
It’s going to be tough-against-tough in this one. Thad Matta’s bunch pride themselves on a half-court attack offensively, where they work the ball from inside-out. Defensively, it’s all about swarming defense that starts with Craft on the perimeter and his 2.5 steals per game. LaQuinton Ross (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and 6-11 Amir Williams (29 games played in 2011-12) will do their best to fill the void left by Sullinger. Buzz Williams always has a bunch that’s not shy about being in the opponent’s face, leading the Big East last season by giving up only 65.9 points per game.
Also, watch how the outdoor conditions alter the playing style of both teams. The coastal winds will affect how much these team shoot and if that’s the case, the Buckeyes have the edge over the Golden Eagles with the size of Williams, Ross, Thomas and Co. This game is more about honoring our military — Williams has previously said this is “one of the top five things I’ve ever done in my life” – so a crowd of around 5,000 won’t affect the game much.
This should be a lot better than last season, organizationally, being that last season’s game between Michigan State and North Carolina had its kinks. We should all enjoy this one. After all, it’s time to start the season, what’s there to be upset about?
David Harten is the editor of The Backboard Chronicles. You can follow him on Twitter at @David_Harten.
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