Marquette is a thin team with James, they become extremely vulnerable without him. His replacement is junior Maurice Acker, a guy who has seen a drop off in playing time since last season, where he averaged 4.5ppg and shot 43% from downtown in 13min/gm. This year he’s seeing the floor almost two minutes less and predictably his production has suffered.

Senior Jerel McNeal (4 assists/gm) will have to handle the ball a lot more, not necessarily a bad thing, but with Marquette’s other weapons (Hayward, Matthews) at their disposal, Marquette can still cause problems for teams. But losing your solid as a rock floor leader, essentially their all-league catcher, right before tourney time begins is as about as deflating as it can get. However, depending on their NCAA tourney draw, we could still see Marquette come the Elite Eight. What is just devastating about this is the fact James stuck around all four years and give his heart and soul to the program, and to have his career end like this is just unreal.

But you know what, maybe Maurice Acker takes a hold of this opportunity and makes a name for himself. It would be quite a story.

Consider me on board the Marquette bandwagon.

Post from: EveryJoe

Marquette’s path to Detroit compromised

McNeal says he’s pulling out of NBA Draft

Both players were not expected to be drafted, especially McNeal, a feisty off guard who led the team in scoring (14.9) but doesn’t have a prototypical NBA type frame for a shooting guard (6’3). However McNeal could benefit greatly from a deep run into the NCAA tourney next year alongside another NBA hopeful Dominic James. But Marquette will have its hands full because of Tom Crean’s departure and the perceived lack of talent of the incoming freshman class. Although folks shouldn’t feel too bad for them considering they return all four leading scorers from last year’s team.

Tigers’ Anderson withdraws from draft

Antonio Anderson, a lanky two guard, will have a good opportunity to become one of the Tiger’s go to players in 08/09. Not only are Rose and Douglas–Roberts departing early, but Robert Dozier might also decide to stay in the draft. That would leave Anderson as the leading returning scorer on the team.

I really don’t see either player ever making a NBA roster, but another year of trying to improve their draft stock can’t hurt much.

But as for their respective squads both are important cogs worth mentioning.

Post from: EveryJoe

Very wise decisions