Monthly Archives: January 2012

Otule rises above knee injury

Posted on January 31, 2012 by | 2 Comments

It would be easy for Chris Otule to ask, “Why me?”

After all, the redshirt junior center has missed 55 games in three-plus seasons at Marquette. He missed the start of his freshman season with a broken left foot. A surgically repaired right foot ended his sophomore season just three games in. And this past December, season-ending knee surgery cut his junior year short just as he was playing the best basketball of his career.

But instead of asking questions, Otule is making his own answers.

Chris Otule should be ready for the start of the 2012-'13 season. (Marquette Tribune Photo)

“I didn’t even know what to think,” Otule said after sustaining the injury. “I was just spaced for a couple days, just thinking. But I talked to family and friends, loved ones, and just looked for the optimistic side of all of it.”

And that is exactly what he has done. A positive attitude and strenuous daily rehabilitation has given the 6-foot-11 center a positive outlook on his future at Marquette.

The knee injury he suffered on Dec. 6 in the opening minutes of Marquette’s win against Washington did not automatically end his season. Surgery would be required at some point, but both athletic trainer Ernest Eugene and Otule decided to take a non-operative approach to his rehabilitation, making it plausible that he could return sometime during the season. Surgery would then take place after the season.

He would not have been at 100 percent had he returned, but his past injuries keeping him off the court combined with the team’s current success made him want to attempt a comeback.

However, during his rehabilitation he suffered a setback in an individual workout that led to his decision to move up the surgery date to Jan. 10, thus ending his season.

Now three weeks out of surgery, Eugene said Otule’s rehabilitation will consist of three factors: controlling swelling, gaining strength and working his range of motion.  The process can take anywhere from six to 12 months and all three areas of his daily regimen will continue to increase as he works toward a full recovery.

“He’s exactly where he should be,” Eugene said. “And if it wasn’t for his mindset and how he works every day, he wouldn’t be where he is today.”

Eugene said Otule’s rehabilitation will continue into the 2012-’13 season as he continues to gain strength in all areas of his leg. A crucial part of his rehabilitation will be gaining mental confidence to play without worrying about the knee.

Along with his own positive attitude, Otule said his teammates have provided the same support they always show him.

Otule's positive attitude and outlook will aide him in his return to the court from knee surgery. (Tribune File Photo)

“A lot of times people might feel left out when they’re hurt,” Otule said. “But I don’t feel like that at all. These guys make sure that I’m still a part of everything they do, and they show me love, and I appreciate that.”

Jamil Wilson, who has seen an increased role in the past month, said Otule has helped forwards by offering advice and analysis to the forward in practices and during games. Wilson attributed his increased blocked shots to conversations with Otule and realizing the center’s importance in the post.

More importantly, Wilson said Otule’s attitude during such a difficult process has been inspiring.

“He’s still the same guy and wants to help everybody. His heart is unbelievable,” Wilson said. “He’s such an unbelievable example of what you should be, how positive you should be toward yourself and everybody else, and what he’s facing is tremendous. It’s unbelievable.”

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MU and Seton Hall trending in opposite directions

Posted on January 30, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Tribune File Photo

Polar opposites.

That’s the best way to describe the state of Marquette and Seton Hall as they enter tonight’s contest.

No. 15 Marquette (16-4, 7-2 Big East) enters on a six-game winning streak. It’s in second place in the conference, and if Syracuse continues to play without sophomore center Fab Melo, some believe Marquette is the conference’s best team.

Its two senior leaders, guard Darius Johnson-Odom and forward Jae Crowder, are playing some of their best basketball of the year over the previous four games. Crowder is averaging 16.8 points and 8.0 boards per game while Johnson-Odom’s averaging 17.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Sophomore forward Jamil Wilson cited improvements on defense and in transition as keys to the team’s improved play — and keys to playing even better.

“Obviously we can get up and down the court way faster, and I think we can press a little bit more, speed guys up and we can outrun a lot of people,” Wilson said.

The Golden Eagles are playing some of their best basketball of the season over this six-game stretch. Crowder said is a product of the team “playing within” itself, “which is giving us a chance and an opportunity at the end of the game.”

“When we play like we know how to play, and we play with a will and fight that we’ve had these past few stretches, we’re capable of beating anybody,” Crowder said. “I really like the way we’re playing right now as a team. I like the groove we’re in each day at practice that prepares us to play any game. I’m excited.”

Like Marquette, the Pirates (15-6, 4-5 Big East) are led by their two seniors: Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore. Those two haven’t been playing their best basketball over the previous four contests. Seton Hall has suffered as their production decreased, losing its last four after a four-game winning streak that featured home-wins over West Virginia (67-48) and Connecticut (75-63).

Pope, a 6-foot-8 forward, is the team’s leading rebounder and second leading scorer (15.9 points, 10. 4 rebounds) but over the previous four games he’s underperformed, with only 9.3 points and 8.5 boards per game. Despite that, he’s still the Big East’s second best rebounder – one of two players to average double-digit boards – and the No. 13 scorer.

Junior guard Junior Cadougan said Pope’s going to get his but Marquette must execute its game plan and hope for the best.

Theodore, a 6-foot guard, is the team’s leading scorer (16.9 per game) and assist-man (7.0 assists per game). When Seton Hall was on its four game winning streak, Theodore’s play was instrumental. He averaged 19.3 points and 9.8 assists per game. His average points and assists per game dropped to 14.5 and 4.3 respectively.

What Marquette needs to do is stop Pope and Theodore in the pick-and-roll game they love to play together. Crowder acknowledged that Marquette hasn’t faced a post and guard that work as well together as those two.

Crowder called stopping them a top priority.

“The way we go out there (and defend it) will predict a majority of the game, and how we take those two players out of their game — which we know, they score a high percentage through the pick & roll,” Crowder said.

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Cadougan’s contributions often go unnoticed

Posted on January 29, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Junior Cadougan is a top-two point guard in the Big East according to Jae Crowder. / Photo courtesy Marquette Athletics.

Story appeared in the Jan. 26 edition of The Marquette Tribune.

Junior Cadougan hip bumped Davante Gardner and proceeded to throw up his rendition of the three-goggles with a big smile on his face after knocking down his fifth 3-pointer of the season in Tuesday’s 67-47 victory over South Florida.

The junior has had much to smile about in this his first full season as Marquette’s starting point guard. He is fifth in the Big East and tied for 38th in the nation in assists per game (5.5) and sixth in the Big East in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2).

Over the previous six contests (excluding Saturday’s Villanova contest) Cadougan has posted a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio, with 42 assists and only 15 turnovers, including a 5:1 ratio against South Florida.

Cadougan said nothing has changed for him during the stretch.

“I’m trying to get into the paint. I’m trying to find my teammates, and my teammates are knocking down shots and just trying to take care of the ball,” Cadougan said. “If I take care of the ball then I give my team a better chance to win.”

On a team with Big East Player of the Year candidates senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder, Cadougan’s contributions may go unappreciated by some.

“He’s the motor that makes us go on the offensive and defensive end, picking up the point guard full court,” Johnson-Odom said. “He just does a lot of things for us that go unnoticed.”

Unnoticed acts include serving as an extension of the coaching staff on the floor.

“On the court he puts guys in the right position. Guys may not know what to do sometimes, but he’s putting them in the right position at different times in the game,” Crowder said. “That’s what you need on every team.”

Crowder said Cadougan’s performance this year should earn him recognition as a top-two point guard in the Big East for his versatility.

“He can score, and he brings other things as well. He plays defense very well, and he’s a big body. He’s a floor general,” the senior forward said.

But against Georgetown on Jan. 4, coach Buzz Williams opted to give sophomore Vander Blue more minutes in the second half than Cadougan (17-7).

Cadougan didn’t describe the situation as a “benching” nor did he and Williams discuss it after the game. It came down to simple facts.

“I was in foul trouble, and Van (Blue) was doing a good job at the point, so (Williams) kept him in the game,” Cadougan said.

But Crowder said the decision served as a wake-up call to Cadougan.

“After that game he really took pride in doing the thing that he brings to the table which is getting guys in the right position,” Crowder said. “He’s really turned things up mentally and physically.”

His 6.2 points per game average is sixth on the team, but Cadougan said he's not worried about scoring. That will come next year. / Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

And before Marquette’s biggest non-conference game of the season, Cadougan was suspended for violating team rules, forcing freshman Derrick Wilson into the starting point guard position in a brutal road-game environment.

It’s an experience Crowder believes made Cadougan a better basketball player and human being.

“That was a mistake,” Crowder said of the incident. “We all make them. That’s just something he learned from. I don’t want to say he needed it, but it helped him. I think it was beneficial to him as a basketball player and as a person. I think he got the best out of that situation.”

Cadougan’s 6.2 points per game are sixth on the team, but he said scoring isn’t his biggest priority, nor should it be this year. That’s something he’ll do more next season.

“I can score, but I would rather get my teammates going, because if I get my teammates going then we’re all going to play harder on defense,” Cadougan said. “My scoring will come. I’m not worried about scoring. I got one more year to score. I’m good right now. Everything’s flowing, and we’re winning.”

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Johnson-Odom “gets it right” in win over Villanova

Posted on January 28, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Marquette head coach Buzz Williams offered up his opinions on senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom following the Golden Eagles’ 82-78 win over Villanova.

“He’s in a really nice groove right now. When seniors can see the end, they shift down and say, ‘Hey, I want to make sure I get this right,’” Williams said. “He’s playing with great poise, great focus. He’s been an excellent teammate, too.”

Leading the way for Marquette, winners of six straight in the Big East, Johnson-Odom indeed has done everything right.

The senior posted one of the best lines of his three-year career Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, finishing with 26 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals in a team-high 38 minutes.

But even those numbers fail to do justice on how good Johnson-Odom was in Marquette’s latest first half deficit.

The offense started off slow for the Golden Eagles, and Johnson-Odom was no exception. He missed his first five shots and did not score until a free throw over eight minutes into the game. By that point Marquette already trailed 23-10 and was showing no signs of life.

But facing yet another first half deficit and a sporadic substitution pattern due to foul trouble, Johnson-Odom took over. With Marquette down by 18 at the 10:10 mark, Johnson-Odom scored nine points in the next three minutes to cut the Wildcats’ lead to a more manageable 11 points.

Later, with five seconds left in the first half, Johnson-Odom drained a 3-pointer from the top of the floor to cut the lead to 10 at halftime.

Darius Johnson-Odom came through in the clutch for Marquette on Saturday. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

Johnson-Odom looked to distribute early in the second half, racking up four assists in the first seven minutes to help trim the Villanova lead to six. He and Jae Crowder then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to even the score for the first time.

Villanova responded minutes later with a Dominic Cheek 3-pointer and JayVaughn Pinkston three-point play, giving the Wildcats a 61-57 lead.

From that point on Johnson-Odom, as Williams said, got it right.

Following two free throws from Davante Gardner, Johnson-Odom’s three-point play at the 10:15 mark gave Marquette a 62-61 lead. On Marquette’s next possession he nailed a 3-pointer to re-gain the lead by two. He would go on to score 10 of Marquette’s next 12 points, and his layup at the 5:41 mark gave the Golden Eagles a 71-69 lead that they would never give back.

Fellow senior Jae Crowder’s 20 points and 11 rebounds (including 13 points, eight rebounds in the second half) were vital to the comeback, but the afternoon belonged largely to Johnson-Odom.

And, really, the longest winning streak in the Big East has belonged to him, too.

During Marquette’s six-game winning streak, Johnson-Odom has averaged 19.7 points on 47 percent shooting (17 3-pointers on 45 percent shooting) and has been instrumental in helping Marquette dig their way out of early deficits.

But maybe most important of all is that Johnson-Odom has been the vocal leader in huddles and on the court. Following a long line of senior leaders (Wes Matthews, Lazar Hayward, Jimmy Butler), Johnson-Odom has shook off a relatively slow start to the season and thrown his name in for Big East player of the year consideration.

“I think me and Jae (Crowder), we know what we have to do,” Johnson-Odom told ESPN.com. “We don’t want to look back and say, ‘We wish we could have done this a little bit better.’ We’re gonna go hard at everything we do, no matter if it’s practice or things off the court.”

Whether or not Marquette’s star has seen the end and is making an extra effort to get things done right as Williams suggested, one thing is clear: If Johnson-Odom continues to produce like he did Saturday afternoon, that “end” won’t come until deep into the NCAA Tournament.

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Marquette overcomes 18 point deficit to take down Villanova

Posted on January 28, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Tribune File Photo

By Michael Wottreng

PHILADELPHIA — Marquette made six clutch free throws over the final half minute to thwart Villanova’s upset bid and earn its second Big East road win 82-78.

Vander Blue, the worst free throw shooter on the floor at 62%, made four, sandwiched around a pair from Jae Crowder, to help the Golden Eagles hold on.

“I don’t think you can go on the road in our league and have a chance unless you’re tough.  And you can’t be tough on game day unless you’re tough every day,” coach Buzz Williams said of his team’s resiliency.

Marquette (18-4, 7-2 Big East) did not get their first lead until a Jamil Wilson layup with 11:39 left in the game put the Golden Eagles up 57-55.  Villanova (10-12, 3-7 Big East) scored the next six points before senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom took over.

Johnson-Odom scored 12 of the next 16 points for the Golden Eagles.  His final points of the stretch put Marquette up for good.  Johnson-Odom finished with a season-high 26 points going 9-for-20 from the floor including 3-of-7 from three point range.

With 46 seconds left and up three, Marquette lost and in-bounds play underneath its own basket when Maurice Sutton tipped the ball off of Jamil Wilson, giving the Wildcats a chance a chance to tie.

Dominic Cheek took a contested three from the right wing that missed everything and fell into the hands of Blue.  The fans at the Wells Fargo Center were baffled by the junior’s shot when only 13 seconds had run off the clock. Villanova would never have a shot to tie the game after that.

For the fifth time in six games, Marquette trailed by at least six points in the first half.  Villanova got off to a 14-3 start at the first media timeout and led by as much as 18 in the first half.

The Golden Eagles got the lead to single digits for the first time since the 15:57 mark with a 3-pointer from Johnson-Odom with 3:30 left in the half.  The lead was nine and Marquette could not put a dent into the lead any further.

Villanova feasted off of Marquette turnovers in the first half.  The Golden Eagles gave the ball away eight times.  The Wildcats converted those turnovers into 15 points.

The tables turned in the second half.  The Golden Eagles were able to force nine turnovers in the second half that they cashed into 14 points, aiding the comeback.

Marquette was able to cut the lead to five on an alley-oop from Johnson-Odom to Blue two minutes into the second half.  Villanova promptly answered with a 5-0 run of its own to get the lead back to ten points.

Marquette slowly chipped into the lead and, with the help of some timely officiating, was able to get the lead.  The Golden Eagles trailed 69-65 with six minutes left when Maalik Wayns was whistled for a technical foul.  Johnson-Odom knocked in both free throws and Jae Crowder made a layup off a no look pass from Davante Gardner to start an 8-0 Golden Eagles run.  Marquette would never trail again.

It was Marquette’s sixth consecutive win in Big East play.  Marquette won its  18th game almost a month earlier than last year’s team did.  The Golden Eagles did not win their 18th game until Feb. 27th last year.

The Golden Eagles return to Milwaukee to host Seton Hall (15-5, 4-4 Big East) in an attempt to avenge a 13 point loss in Newark last season.

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