PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Friday Coach's Clinic >> PERFECT 4-0 in Tourney! 10-2 Past 3 Days!
(NCAAB) Marquette vs. South Carolina,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -106.00 Marquette (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 1.50 | -106.00 Marquette (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Marquette's 19-12 record was just good enough to earn an at-large bid (10-seed) to the NCAA tourney. The Golden Eagles are back in the tournament after qualifying for eight straight seasons (from 2006 to 2013), before missing out the last three years. South Carolina went 12-6 in SEC play and 22-10 overall, earning an at-large bid as well (7-seed), returning to the Big Dance for the first time in 13 years! The Gamecocks hope to get some home cookin' for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004, as they face Marquette in Greenville, S.C.
Marquette: The Golden Eagles own superb balance, with seven players averaging between 8.7 and 13.2 PPG. All but one of those seven are guards, with 6-11 Fisher (11.0 & 5.9) being the team's best rebounder. However, he's got a shoulder injury and the 6-11 Heldt (2.4 & 2.9) is not much of a replacement. Howard (13.2) is the leading scorer for a team averaging 82.5 PPG (18th) and shoots 54.9% on threes, for a team first in the nation in three-point shooting (43.0%)! Rowsey (11.5 & 2.3 APG), a 5-10 guard and UNC Asheville transfer, has come on since taking over the point guard duties,scoring 18 points or more in seven of the last 11 games for Marquette.
South Carolina: Frank Martin's team got off to a strong start, winning 19 of its first 23 games but stumbled a bit down the stretch, dropping six of nine contests. The Gamecocks are led by SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell, who tops the team in scoring (21.0) and rebounding (7.2). He's joined in the backcourt by Dozier (13.6) and Notice (10.1) plus with Fisher out or playing at less than 100% for Marquette, the 6-9 Silva (9.8 & 5.7) and the 6-10 Kotsar (5.9 & 5.0) could make an impact in this contest. South Carolina doesn't score as much as Marquette, averaging 72.1 PPG (205th) plus doesn't shoot nearly as well (41.5% ranks 310th). However, the team plays excellent defense, allowing 64.5 PPG (27th) and holds opponents to 29.3% behind the arc (5th).
The pick: Frank Martin is the more seasoned coach, as this is Steve Wojciechowski's first NCAA appearance. It could come down to strength vs. strength, as Marquette's the nation's top three-point shooting team and South Carolina ranks fifth in stopping three-pointers! History tells us that South Carolina hasn't won an NCAA game since 1973, losing all six first round games, since. Marquette is playing better basketball coming in and while South Carolina owns the best player on the court in Thornwell, Marquette owns the better overall team. Marquette is a 10* play.
Marquette: The Golden Eagles own superb balance, with seven players averaging between 8.7 and 13.2 PPG. All but one of those seven are guards, with 6-11 Fisher (11.0 & 5.9) being the team's best rebounder. However, he's got a shoulder injury and the 6-11 Heldt (2.4 & 2.9) is not much of a replacement. Howard (13.2) is the leading scorer for a team averaging 82.5 PPG (18th) and shoots 54.9% on threes, for a team first in the nation in three-point shooting (43.0%)! Rowsey (11.5 & 2.3 APG), a 5-10 guard and UNC Asheville transfer, has come on since taking over the point guard duties,scoring 18 points or more in seven of the last 11 games for Marquette.
South Carolina: Frank Martin's team got off to a strong start, winning 19 of its first 23 games but stumbled a bit down the stretch, dropping six of nine contests. The Gamecocks are led by SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell, who tops the team in scoring (21.0) and rebounding (7.2). He's joined in the backcourt by Dozier (13.6) and Notice (10.1) plus with Fisher out or playing at less than 100% for Marquette, the 6-9 Silva (9.8 & 5.7) and the 6-10 Kotsar (5.9 & 5.0) could make an impact in this contest. South Carolina doesn't score as much as Marquette, averaging 72.1 PPG (205th) plus doesn't shoot nearly as well (41.5% ranks 310th). However, the team plays excellent defense, allowing 64.5 PPG (27th) and holds opponents to 29.3% behind the arc (5th).
The pick: Frank Martin is the more seasoned coach, as this is Steve Wojciechowski's first NCAA appearance. It could come down to strength vs. strength, as Marquette's the nation's top three-point shooting team and South Carolina ranks fifth in stopping three-pointers! History tells us that South Carolina hasn't won an NCAA game since 1973, losing all six first round games, since. Marquette is playing better basketball coming in and while South Carolina owns the best player on the court in Thornwell, Marquette owns the better overall team. Marquette is a 10* play.
