OFFICIAL MARQUETTE PRESS RELEASE
Milwaukee – Marquette University senior guard Jerel McNeal has been named an Associated Press Second Team All-America, the highest honor received by an MU player since 2003.

McNeal, an All-BIG EAST First Team honoree, averaged 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 2008-09.  He finished at Marquette’s career leader in five categories, including scoring (1,985 points) and steals (287).

“Just sitting here thinking about it, and looking at the list of players, it means a lot,” McNeal said.  “It’s an unbelievable accomplishment, and just to mentioned and considered to be in the same category as some of these players. It’s an honor just to be mentioned.”

Over the course of the last 30 years, only Butch Lee (1977-78) and Dwyane Wade (2002-03) have received a higher honor from the Associated Press.  Lee, Wade and Dean Meminger (1970-71) are the only consensus first team selections in program history.

Of the 15 players named to the first, second and third teams, six represent programs from the BIG EAST Conference.

Associated Press First Team All-America
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
James Harden, Arizona State
Stephen Curry, Davidson 

Associated Press Second Team All-America
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky 

Associated Press Third Team All-America
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Toney Douglas, Florida State
Sam Young, Pittsburgh
Sherron Collins, Kansas
Gerald Henderson, Duke

Ritchie Donnelly calls highlights from Marquette’s loss to Mizzou, while Donnie Dwyer, Mike O’Sullivan, and Chris Gaulke analyze the team’s season.

The Bleacher Report  gives a riveting set of reasons on why the Golden Eagles will be just fine going forward.

The edge of my seat needs some repairs.

Despite Jerel McNeal’s 30 point effort, Dominic James coming back about 3 months early, Buzz Williams leading his crew to a stunning second-half comeback, etc., etc., etc., Marquette’s bid for a Sweet 16 fell short.

The Golden Eagles charged back and left fans breathless. Yet again, the crew fell behind in the first half…only to impress us with their second half heroics. Down 11 at the break, Marquette took the lead late in the game, but saw it slip away as Kim English dropped two contreversial free throws through with ease.

The seniors went out united by more than just their bald heads. They made their last shots with a swagger and ease that reminded us all of one thing that remained the same:

Everytime they stepped on the court, as Coach Williams would say, “Their character was revealed.”

Marquette Athletics recap

Boise – Marquette University senior guard Dominic James, who suffered a broken fifth metatarsal on his left foot on Feb. 25, was cleared to return to the court Saturday evening after undergoing an extensive evaluation process over the course of the last week.

“I don’t know how much he’ll be able to contribute,” head coach Buzz Williams said. “The thing that I’m excited about is we’re going to give him an opportunity to close out his career in the best way he possibly could. And I think the recovery has been due in large part to his work, but also because of the wisdom of Ernest (Eugene) and Dr. (Darrin) Maccoux.

“He worked out the day we got here, he worked out Friday morning before our game, worked out Friday night, practiced with us today,” Williams said.  “So medically he’s been cleared, but how much he’ll be able to contribute, I don’t know.”

James was injured in the opening minutes of the team’s Feb. 25 matchup with Connecticut and has missed each of the squad’s last six outings. 

The Richmond, Ind., native underwent successful surgery on Feb. 27 and began his rehabilitation process immediately under the direction of the University’s sports medicine and team physician staffs. 

“We’ve talked to some experts in the field, and these cases are known, have happened in elite athletes – college and the pros,” said athletic trainer Ernest Eugene. “He’s been very instrumental in all this, obviously. He’s been so dedicated being where he’s supposed to be every day, doing what he needs to do, and he’s surpassed every goal.”
(Report: courtesy of MU Athletics)

Rosiak’s breaking story of James’s clearance
ESPN’s report & Dickie V talking about it

A win is a win.

That is what Marquette Basketball fans must tell themselves after their team’s underwhelming performance in Round #1 of the NCAA Tournament. To their credit though, they still found a way to win (and at this point of the season, that’s all you’re remembered for).

We live to play another day, but will we live to see Monday? That will be determined in less than 48 hours when the Golden Eagles match up with #3 seeded Missouri. And all of a sudden, I can’t help but think I’m watching the same movie again. It was not but a year ago that we watched the 2008 version of Marquette Basketball squeak past Kentucky in the first round, only to have their hearts ripped out by Brook Lopez and Stanford in the second. For the second consecutive year, MU stands on the threshold of the Sweet 16, with a beatable #3 seed parked between them and where they want to be.

Fans of this program might have dreams of a Final Four still in their heads, and the players and coaches might fully believe that too, but everyone has had the same expectation since “Marquette Madness” on October 20: Make the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

For Marquette to have arguably the most decorated recruiting class that the program has ever had (statistically speaking), and for them to NEVER to make a Sweet 16 in four years, would be an absolute atrocity. I will get up on a table and clap my hands for Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal, Dominic James, and Dwight Burke, for the things they have accomplished, and for the pride they have all given us in our fine university. Four consecutive NCAA Tournament births are fantastic, all-conference accolades every year are wonderful, and priceless moments of euphoria during games in their time here will never be forgotten. However, there’s one chapter missing from this remarkable ride to perennial relevance:

Post season success.

In the last three NCAA Tournaments, it has been the Golden Eagles that have watched an opponent make their own post season memories. Who could forget Alabama’s Jean Felix putting up a career high of 31 points out of nowhere to end the 2006 season at least one game too early? Or what about Michigan State making the Golden Eagles look like a JV team on their way to a double-digit first round win? And last year’s loss to Stanford does need to be rehashed again (it still hurts). Every year it has been one excuse or another as to why this program could not get over the hump.

2006: Too inexperienced (Big 3 in their rookie season). 2007: Too hurt (McNeal had a broken hand). 2008: Too small (The Lopez’s had a field day).

My question is simple: When is this group going to say enough is enough and put on a performance that launches them to the next level? Is our point guard hurt? Yes. Are we undersized? Of course. Do we have a short bench? Absolutely (and getting shorter).

But guess what… very few teams in the history of this sport have been perfect. And in 2009, the Marquette Golden Eagles are one of 32 teams that still have the opportunity to win the national championship. So don’t waste the opportunity.

At no point during this season have I ever felt compelled to do what I am about to do.

Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews need to perform. Plain and simple. They have been shadows of what we have come to expect from them since Dominic’s injury. In that time, we have seen Lazar Hayward, Jimmy Butler, and for stretches Maurice Acker, take their play to new heights. In the games since Dom’s injury, Matthews is shooting just 29% from the field, and McNeal is no better at 30.6%. For this team to get where everyone knows they belong, they will have to do it on the backs of their standout seniors. A memorable performance from these two must be in cards if Marquette students, alums, and fans alike look forward to any celebration Sunday evening.

It’s time to put up or shut up for Wes and Jerel. There is no better time than now, and there is no other time than now. Their friend and teammate Dominic James can only encourage them from the sideline when they take the court in Boise Sunday afternoon. This program will rest on their shoulders during that time. But the great thing is, only Jerel McNeal can determine how he plays in that time, and the same goes for Wesley Matthews.

The Missouri Tigers resurrected the old Arkansas Basketball motto of “Forty Minutes of Hell” this season. If Matthews and McNeal do not bring their absolute best on Sunday, they will put themselves, their teammates, their fans, and their entire university through every second of it.

Brian Henry
MUTV Remote Producer
WMUR Sports Director

I have always thought that Marquette Men’s basketball fans seem to be a little eccentric about the Golden Eagles. So Sunday night I created a muscoop.com account and began a chat room conversation thread. I got some strong responses, like ReneeWarrior’s, “During my four years at MU, I never wore underwear while attending a game.”This was in response to my post, “I’m a student at Marquette and I am planning on writing a feature story for a journalism class about people’s rituals before, during and after Marquette basketball games. If you have any in particular, please respond to this message. I’m also the Sports Director at MUTV, so if the article is really good I’ll post it on the site.”

Within 26 hours, my post had been responded to 25 times and had been viewed almost 900 times. Below are some of the responses from Marquette Nation, enjoy.

Stone Cold: Don’t really have too many continuous game rituals from game to game. Occasionally will move spots from where I’m sitting if we’re going on a bad run…..and I have burned a hat before that I thought was bad mojo.

MU_B2002: I don’t wear any Marquette t-shirts while watching games, and I took down my flag from the front porch after the SFU game. They had to earn that spot.

Warrioir55: Must have a large Sierra Mist the minute I secure my student seat…….only one more to enjoy

mugoose: each of the games we’ve lost this year I’ve failed to wear my MU embroidered chinos.

77ncaachamps: Head to toe in the MU Baby Blue for the whole season.

Baby blue is my favorite color, and who said it’s a jinx? Look at the season we’ve had!

MUfan12: I have kind of a “big game” ritual for games I attend in person. I wear the same blue shirt, MU sweatervest, and MU tie, and underneath the same gold MU t-shirt I wore to the Kentucky game in 2003. Was 8-0 until the UConn game. Bugger.

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