BIG EAST TOP POINT GUARDS 2008:2009: 5) DOMINIC JAMES

November 5, 2008


Even with his numbers and effectiveness sliding each year since a standout freshman campaign, Dominic James still ranks rather high among Big East point guards in the eyes of NBE Basketball Report staffers.

James took the Big East by storm as a freshman, averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds leading the surprising Golden Eagles into contention in their Big East debut and into the NCAA Tournament. James averaged over 16 points in Big East conference games that season and showed the nation how dangerous he was scoring 57 points in back to back road wins over West Virginia and DePaul.

As a sophomore and junior James saw his numbers dip as his lack of perimeter shooting has led to more and more teams to use zone defenses against Marquette. James is still an explosive athlete that is as fast with the basketball as anyone in the nation. James is also a defensive wizard that will disrupt and opponents' offense by pressuring the ball on the perimeter.

One area James did improve in last season was nudging his assist to turnover ration above the 2:1 mark, a standard for top point guards. However, his sub-40% shooting from the field and 31% clip from three-point range continues to haunt him and makes him easier to defend by teams will to play zone to contain his speed and quickness.

This season, James also has to adapt to a new coach as Buzz Williams takes control of the Golden Eagles from Tom Crean, who recruited James to MU and was always his staunchest supporter. It does not appear that Williams will tinker a whole lot with the schemes at Marquette, so expect James to have the ball in his hands often. If James can find a way to increase his offensive efficiency with improved shooting percentages, the college basketball odds of Marquette challenging for a championship should improve greatly. James is still a weapon because of his athletic ability and his improving assist to turnover ration with his experience is good enough to keep him in the top 5 of Big East point guards, according to the NBE Basketball Report evaluators.