BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: MARQUETTE

April 27, 2009


COMMITMENT ALERT: Youssoupha Mbao, 7'2 center from Stoneridge (CA) Prep. Mbao is a native of Dakar, Senegal.


Marquette coach Buzz Williams' search high and low for a big man in the paint took him out to California as Youssoupha Mbao is the seventh player to commit to the Golden Eagles in the 2009 class. The news that Mbao, 7'2 center, Was to Visit (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) over the weekend came as news to many, now that Mbao has committed, the chase for information on the big man has been on.


Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


Seniors: David Cubillan (G), Lazar Hayward (G/F), Maurice Acker (PG)
Juniors: Joseph Fulce (SF), Jimmy Butler (G/F), Dwight Buycks (JUCO G)
Sophomores: Chris Otule (C), Liam McMorrow (C)*, Darius Johnson-Odom** (JUCO G)
Freshmen: Erik Williams (F), Jeronne Maymon (F), Junior Cadougan (PG), Brett Roseboro (PF), Youssoupha Mbao (C)
2010 Early Commitments: Aaron Bowen (G), Monterale Clark (C-JUCO)

* sitting out 2008-2009 season per NCAA transfer rules and will have three years of eligibility beginning in 2009-2010. McMorrow is also undergoing medical tests that could keep him from playing in the future.

** played one year at JUCO level, will have three years of eligibility beginning in 2009-2010.


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It has been just over one year since Tom Crean shocked Marquette fans and acceted the head coaching position at Indiana. Crean's replacement, Brent 'Buzz' Williams, has proven to be a hard worked on the recruiting trail and it seems that everywhere you turn you have a player listing Marquette as a school of interest. Williams has gone north of the boarder, down to Texas, locally in Milwaukee, to Pennsylvania and into the JUCO ranks for recruits in the class of 2009. Now, he goes into Senegal for the latest.

Youssoupha Mbao committed to the Golden Eagles while on a visit to Milwaukee this weekend. Mbao brings serious size, being listed at 7-foot-2. He showed nice ahletic ability last November playing for Stoneridge Prep (CA) in the National Prep Showcase, but he was painfully thin, weighing in at nearly 200 pounds, so his ability to contribute in the Big East will most likely depend on his ability to gain weight and strength.

Mbao, being 7'2, is obviously a defensive presence with his length and his ability to move his feet, which is pretty good at his size. Most of his rebounds were gathered because off his size, but in the Big East, he will need to show the ability to gain and hold position against stronger players and be stronger in going after the ball.

Still when you stand 7'2 and you have length and athleticism, your long term potential is well worth any risk. He could be a presence quickly defensively in the paint, something the Golden Eagles have not had for some time with a little strength and weight gain. Offensively he has a ways to go, but that is certainly not un-common for a young, developing big man.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article dies indicate there might be some additional legwork left in determining his eligibility as he has played in at elast one professional league overseas. Some notes on him can be found on NBA draft websites like DraftExpress.com as he has been on the NBA draft radar for a few seasons.

Earlier this spring MU added the second JUCO player for the class of 2009 (Buzz added two in 2008 and already has a commitment from one in 2010) in guard Darius Johnson-Odom, a 6-foot-2 scoring machine out of Hutchinson (KS) Community College, one of the traditional powers of the JUCO ranks.

Johnson-Odom averaged nearly 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, while earning freshman of the year honors in the Jayhawk conference, playing for coach Ryan Swanson on the squad that finished 20-12 this year.

Johnson-Odom played his high school ball at Wakefield High school near Raleigh (NC). In an effort to gain qualifying status with the NCAA, Johnson-Odom did a post-grad season at the Patterson (NC) School before landing this past year at Hutchinson CC.

Johnson-Odom showed his explosive scoring ability by scoring 46 points in a game this season. He is definitely a scoring lead guard and the left-handed shooter has a strong build that looks ready for the Big East.

In Todd Rosiak's Darius Johnson-Odom Interview found at the Journal-Sentienl online blogs, Johnson-Odom indicates that Pitt, Kentucky, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Tennessee were other schools actively recruiting him this season.


Brett Roseboro is a 6-foot-9, left-handed C/BF out of Quakertown (PA) High School. One the summer circuit, Roseboro showed to be a very fundamentally sound basketball player with good hands and nice footwork in the pain to score with several post moves. For his size, he has the ability to show himself quite agile and nimble. for more on his play this summer, you can check out his player profile at CAAInsider.com: Brett Roseboro.

This past weekend, Roseboro played in the Providence Jam Fest, so a year of prep basketball migh tnot be out of the question, but he maintained at the event he is committed to Marquette.

One week after getting Canadian 7-footer Liam McMorrow in a surprise addition to wrap up the 2008 class, Buzz Williams closed on another Canadian native as Christian Life Center Academy's Junior Cadougan verbally committed to MU in early July for the class of 2009.

Cadougan is a native of Toronto, but has been attending prep school in Humble (TX), averaged 21 points a game last season before breaking his foot in December. The 6-foot point guard is a tough lead guard with a stocky frame and recently had a very impressive NBA Top 100 camp. Marquette was wise to get him on campus and seal the deal with him as his stock was beginning to tick upwards rapidly.

While Williams had been busy with the class of 2008, he had also secured two commitments for 2009 from local players earlier, including Dwight Buycks, who thought he was headed to the Division 1-A ranks out of Milwaukee's Bay View High School as he was verbally committed to Bradley. However, academics caught up to him and forced him to head to Indian Hills CC to complete a couple seasons at the JUCO level. After just one season at Indian Hills, the interest in Buycks became intense, especially from the new Marquette staff led by Buzz Williams and Buycks has offered an early commitment to the Golden Eagles.

The 6'3, 185 lb guard led Indian Hills is scoring last season, nearly 16 points a game, as the JUCO power finished in 6th place at the NJCAA national tournament. Buycks was also generating interest from schools such as Tennessee, Memphis, Kentucky and Illinois.

The uptempo atmosphere of the Marquette offense was a big attracting to Buycks, as well the location and a chance to come back closer to home was equally important.

Last spring, for the second year in a row, and third time in the last four, Marquette lands the state of Wisconsin's player of the year. This time it is Madison Memorial's Jeronne Maymon Committing to MU (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). As a junior, Maymon averaged 21 points and nearly 12 rebounds a game and he turned it on during the state playoffs, leading Memorial to a 2nd place finish while he averaged 30.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, 3.7 steals and 3.0 assists per game for the Spartans in the WIAA state basketball tournament. Maymon visited Marquette May 20th and has been the top target of coach Williams and his new staff since he was hired in April.

NBE Basketball Report writer Doug Ferguson saw Maymon perform with the Illinois Bobcats at the GBOA North AAU tournament and was very impressed with his play. Here is the recap and detailed scouting report on Maymon included: GBOA North AAU Report.

Mbao, Johnson-Odom, Roseboro, Cadougan, Buycks and Maymon join Erik Williams, from Cypress Springs (TX) High School, as players in the Marquette class of 2009. Although Maymon and Williams are listed as combination forwards, they compliment each other perfectly. Maymon is a physical bruiser who is likely to play power forward and Williams is long, lean and athletic and could play more of a role on the wing. Williams was a recruit that coach Buzz Williams reeled in as an assistant and he will honor his commitment as earlier in April Erik Williams Reaffirmed Commitment to MU (Milwaukee J-S). The 6'7 forward had heard from Tom Crean since he moved on to Indiana, but his comfort level in Buzz Williams was the deciding factor to stay with his commitment.

The commitment of Johnson-Odom and the spring announcement that Pat Hazel, on paper, filled the last available scholarships for Marquette among the class of 2009. However, coach Williams indicated to the local press following the Golden Eagles' loss to Missouri in the second round of the NCAA Tournament he was still busy on the recruiting front. Even with the recent decisions of Jamil Wilson, Darius Smith and Dashonte Riley to attend other schools in 2009-2010, Williams continued to hit the trail and added Mbao.

Besides a possible year of prep basketball for Roseboro, there is a question regarding the last commitment for 2008 and if he will impact the Marquette program on the floor. It is going to take some time to find out as Liam McMorrow, a 7-foot center from Toronto, Canada, joined Chris Otule, Jimmy Butler and Joseph Fulce as the new faces in Buzz Williams' program in the frontcourt. McMorrow sat out as a transfer in 2008-2009 and worked at developing into a Big East caliber player before seeing live action at the college level.

McMorrow played just one season of organized basketball, avaregd 8.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 20 league games for Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario. McMorrow had been a hockey and lacrosse player for most of his life, but a late growth spurt has him on the basketball court now. Recently Williams said McMorrow is continuing to undergo testing for a medical condition he wouldn't specify that could make his status for next season uncertain.


Buzz Williams worked his connections in Texas and his budding local ties of Milwaukee to land his latest commitment for the class of 2010 and Marquette as 6-foot-10 center Monterale Clark made a verbal commitment to the Golden Eagles recently.

Clark had attended local Milwaukee high schools Rufus King and Pius XI before heading off to Ware Prep in the south. Clark has always been an intriguing player because of his length and athleticism, but was in desperate need of adding some bulk to a frame that was in the 180-pound range last time he was seen playing with a Milwaukee-based AAU program the Running Rebels.

This season at Hill College Clark, who is listed at 200 pounts, is averaging 17 points and nearly 11 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. His coach, Swede Trenkle, at Hill college told the Journal-Sentinel that he has put on 16-17 pounds since arriving at Hill College. He also had scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Baylor and Auburn according to the article.

Clark is the second player in the class of 2010 verbally commited to Marquette. Back in late November, the commitment to Marquette from Wolfson High School junior G/F Aaron Bowen took many by surprise. The Jacksonville (FL) native Bowen missed much of the summer AAU circuit because of an injured knee, so not a whole lot is known on him outside of his local area. Last season for coach Bruce Rosebrock, Bowen averaged about 17 points, over 5 rebounds and 4 assists a game, helping one of the state's top programs to another successful season.

A Closer Look at Aaron Bowen can be found at Todd Rosiak's blog on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's website. Bowen has recently received a visit from an Auburn assistant coach and Florida, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech and Jacksonville were other schools involved early. A sensational 41-point performance in last year's playoffs really go the ball rolling on his recruitment and Marquette came in and stole one out of the Sunshine State.

2010 forward prospect Tobias Harris of Long Island and NYC forward Shane Southwell are also high on the MU recruiting radar and were among the expected guests for Marquette Madness last fall. Other underclassmen visitors for the event-filled weekend included 6-foot-1 class of 2010 guard Lavonte Dority from Foreman High School in Chicago, 5-foot-10 class of 2012 guard Antonio “Bobo” Drummond from Central High School in Peoria (IL) and 6-foot class of 2012 guard Cameron Harvey from St. Joseph High School in Westchester (IL).

Another player to watch closely in the class of 2010 is Reggie Smith out of Thornton (IL) HS. Smith has indicated he followed Jerel McNeal's career at Marquette very closely and has a high amount of interest in the Golden Eagles. Another Chicago-area player on the MU radar include Providence St.-Mel big man Philip Jackson, who the Golden Eagles have scouted numerous times in the last year.

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MARQUETTE CONTINUES JUCO PIPELINE

April 17, 2009


Marquette has a lot to replace in their backcourt next season following the graduation of their dynamic guard trio. One player they hope to have step in right from the start is Hutchinson CC scoring machine Darius Johnson-Odom. Johnson-Odom Signs with Marquette (HutchNews.com) and will have three years of eligibility remaining after the native of Raleigh (NC) averaged 21.6 points a game, made 69 3-pointers and made 77 percent of his free throws. He set a single-game scoring record at HCC with a 46-point outburst against Coffeyville.

With juniors-to-be Joe Fulce, Jimmy Butler and Dwight Buycks as well as Johnson-Odom - on the roster for next season, with a commitment from, Milwaukee native Monterale Clark, for 2010, Buzz Williams Gets Help from Junior College Roots (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) on the recruiting trail.

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DARIUS JOHNSON-ODOM DISCUSSES MARQUETTE COMMITMENT

April 3, 2009


Marquette picked up a verbal commitment for the class of 2009 as Hutchinson Community College guard Darius Johnson-Odom chose the Golden Eagles earlier this week. Johnson-Odom is a scoring guard who excels at attacking the rim and putting up points. Following a post-grad year at the Patterson School, Johnson-Odom spent one season at Hutchinson, scoring over 20 points a game and being honored as the Jayhawk Conference's Freshman of the Year. The NBE Basketball Report caught up with Johnson-Odom briefly to get his thoughts on his commitment and how he will contribute next season to Buzz Williams' program.


NBE: What is your current height, weight?

Johnson-Odom: 6'2, 205

NBE: What factors played the biggest role in choosing Marquette?

Johnson-Odom: What really played a big role in me coming to Marquette is their style of play and how they utilize their guards.

NBE: What role do you expect to play on next year's team?

Johnson-Odom: My role next year is to come in and compete, I think that I can provide a lot of things to the team.

NBE: What area of your game do you feel will allow you to contribute the most next year?

Johnson-Odom: As far as contributing I believe I can do that by attacking the rim, creating my own shot and creating for my teammates. I will also play with great intensity on the court.

NBE: What other schools were also recruiting you at the time of your commitment?

Johnson-Odom: Pitt, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Miami

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: MARQUETTE

April 2, 2009


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Darius Johnson-Odom, 6'2 guard from Hutchinson (KS) Community College. Johnson-Odom is a North Carolina native.


There has been no denying that Buzz Williams is a hard-worker on the recruiting trail and the Marquette head coach continues to hit every nook and cranny of the recruiting world to re-shape the Golden Eagles roster. The Eagles Add a Guard to the Mix (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) as Hutchinson (KS) Community College freshman guard Darius Johnson-Odom has made a verbal commitment to join Buzz Williams' team in the 2009-2010 season.


Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


Seniors: David Cubillan (G), Lazar Hayward (G/F), Maurice Acker (PG)
Juniors: Patrick Hazel (F), Joseph Fulce (SF), Jimmy Butler (G/F), Dwight Buycks (JUCO G),
Sophomores: Chris Otule (C), Liam McMorrow (C)*, Darius Johnson-Odom** (JUCO G)
Freshmen: Erik Williams (F), Jeronne Maymon (F), Junior Cadougan (PG), Brett Roseboro (PF)
2010 Early Commitments: Aaron Bowen (G), Monterale Clark (C-JUCO)

* sitting out 2008-2009 season per NCAA transfer rules and will have three years of eligibility beginning in 2009-2010. McMorrow is also undergoing medical tests that could keep him from playing in the future.

** played one year at JUCO level, will have three years of eligibility beginning in 2009-2010.

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Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

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It has been one year since Tom Crean shocked Marquette fans and acceted the head coaching position at Indiana. Crean's replacement, Brent 'Buzz' Williams, has proven to be a hard worked on the recruiting trail and it seems that everywhere you turn you have a player listing Marquette as a school of interest. College basketball odds are greatly impacted by your recruiting efforts as recruiting is the lifeblood of your program. Williams has gone north of the boarder, down to Texas, locally to Pennsylvania and into the JUCO ranks for recruits in the class of 2009.

The latest addition is the second JUCO player for the class of 2009 (Buzz added two in 2008 and already has a commitment from one in 2010) in guard Darius Johnson-Odom, a 6-foot-2 scoring machine out of Hutchinson (KS) Community College, one of the traditional powers of the JUCO ranks.

Johnson-Odom averaged nearly 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, while earning freshman of the year honors in the Jayhawk conference, playing for coach Ryan Swanson on the squad that finished 20-12 this year.

Johnson-Odom played his high school ball at Wakefield High school near Raleigh (NC). In an effort to gain qualifying status with the NCAA, Johnson-Odom did a post-grad season at the Patterson (NC) School before landing this past year at Hutchinson CC.

Johnson-Odom showed his explosive scoring ability by scoring 46 points in a game this season. He is definitely a scoring lead guard and the left-handed shooter has a strong build that looks ready for the Big East.

In Todd Rosiak's Darius Johnson-Odom Interview found at the Journal-Sentienl online blogs, Johnson-Odom indicates that Pitt, Kentucky, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Tennessee were other schools actively recruiting him this season.


Brett Roseboro is a 6-foot-9, left-handed C/BF out of Quakertown (PA) High School. One the summer circuit, Roseboro showed to be a very fundamentally sound basketball player with good hands and nice footwork in the pain to score with several post moves. For his size, he has the ability to show himself quite agile and nimble. for more on his play this summer, you can check out his player profile at CAAInsider.com: Brett Roseboro.

One week after getting Canadian 7-footer Liam McMorrow in a surprise addition to wrap up the 2008 class, Buzz Williams closed on another Canadian native as Christian Life Center Academy's Junior Cadougan verbally committed to MU in early July for the class of 2009.

Cadougan is a native of Toronto, but has been attending prep school in Humble (TX), averaged 21 points a game last season before breaking his foot in December. The 6-foot point guard is a tough lead guard with a stocky frame and recently had a very impressive NBA Top 100 camp. Marquette was wise to get him on campus and seal the deal with him as his stock was beginning to tick upwards rapidly.

While Williams had been busy with the class of 2008, he had also secured two commitments for 2009 from local players earlier, including Dwight Buycks, who thought he was headed to the Division 1-A ranks out of Milwaukee's Bay View High School as he was verbally committed to Bradley. However, academics caught up to him and forced him to head to Indian Hills CC to complete a couple seasons at the JUCO level. After just one season at Indian Hills, the interest in Buycks became intense, especially from the new Marquette staff led by Buzz Williams and Buycks has offered an early commitment to the Golden Eagles.

The 6'3, 185 lb guard led Indian Hills is scoring last season, nearly 16 points a game, as the JUCO power finished in 6th place at the NJCAA national tournament. Buycks was also generating interest from schools such as Tennessee, Memphis, Kentucky and Illinois.

The uptempo atmosphere of the Marquette offense was a big attracting to Buycks, as well the location and a chance to come back closer to home was equally important.

Last spring, for the second year in a row, and third time in the last four, Marquette lands the state of Wisconsin's player of the year. This time it is Madison Memorial's Jeronne Maymon Committing to MU (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). As a junior, Maymon averaged 21 points and nearly 12 rebounds a game and he turned it on during the state playoffs, leading Memorial to a 2nd place finish while he averaged 30.0 points, 14.6 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, 3.7 steals and 3.0 assists per game for the Spartans in the WIAA state basketball tournament. Maymon visited Marquette May 20th and has been the top target of coach Williams and his new staff since he was hired in April.

NBE Basketball Report writer Doug Ferguson saw Maymon perform with the Illinois Bobcats at the GBOA North AAU tournament and was very impressed with his play. Here is the recap and detailed scouting report on Maymon included: GBOA North AAU Report.

Johnson-Odom, Roseboro, Buycks and Maymon join Erik Williams, from Cypress Springs (TX) High School, as players in the Marquette class of 2009. Although Maymon and Williams are listed as combination forwards, they compliment each other perfectly. Maymon is a physical bruiser who is likely to play power forward and Williams is long, lean and athletic and could play more of a role on the wing. Williams was a recruit that coach Buzz Williams reeled in as an assistant and he will honor his commitment as earlier in April Erik Williams Reaffirmed Commitment to MU (Milwaukee J-S). The 6'7 forward had heard from Tom Crean since he moved on to Indiana, but his comfort level in Buzz Williams was the deciding factor to stay with his commitment.

The commitment of Roseboro, on paper, filled the last available scholarship for Marquette among the class of 2009. However, coach Williams indicated to the local press following the Golden Eagles' loss to Missouri in the second round of the NCAA Tournament he was still busy on the recruiting front. Even with the recent decisions of Jamil Wilson, Darius Smith and Dashonte Riley to attend other schools in 2009-2010, Williams continued to hit the trail and landed Johnson-Odom.


It is tough to say how much the last commitment for 2008 will impact the Marquette program and when, if ever. It is going to take some time to find out as Liam McMorrow, a 7-foot center from Toronto, Canada, joined Chris Otule, Jimmy Butler and Joseph Fulce as the new faces in Buzz Williams' program in the frontcourt. McMorrow sat out as a transfer in 2008-2009 and worked at developing into a Big East caliber player before seeing live action at the college level.

McMorrow played just one season of organized basketball, avaregd 8.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 20 league games for Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario. McMorrow had been a hockey and lacrosse player for most of his life, but a late growth spurt has him on the basketball court now. Recently Williams said McMorrow is continuing to undergo testing for a medical condition he wouldn't specify that could make his status for next season uncertain.


Buzz Williams worked his connections in Texas and his budding local ties of Milwaukee to land his latest commitment for the class of 2010 and Marquette as 6-foot-10 center Monterale Clark made a verbal commitment to the Golden Eagles recently.

Clark had attended local Milwaukee high schools Rufus King and Pius XI before heading off to Ware Prep in the south. Clark has always been an intriguing player because of his length and athleticism, but was in desperate need of adding some bulk to a frame that was in the 180-pound range last time he was seen playing with a Milwaukee-based AAU program the Running Rebels.

This season at Hill College Clark, who is listed at 200 pounts, is averaging 17 points and nearly 11 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. His coach, Swede Trenkle, at Hill college told the Journal-Sentinel that he has put on 16-17 pounds since arriving at Hill College. He also had scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Baylor and Auburn according to the article.

Clark is the second player in the class of 2010 verbally commited to Marquette. Back in late November, the commitment to Marquette from Wolfson High School junior G/F Aaron Bowen took many by surprise. The Jacksonville (FL) native Bowen missed much of the summer AAU circuit because of an injured knee, so not a whole lot is known on him outside of his local area. Last season for coach Bruce Rosebrock, Bowen averaged about 17 points, over 5 rebounds and 4 assists a game, helping one of the state's top programs to another successful season.

A Closer Look at Aaron Bowen can be found at Todd Rosiak's blog on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's website. Bowen has recently received a visit from an Auburn assistant coach and Florida, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech and Jacksonville were other schools involved early. A sensational 41-point performance in last year's playoffs really go the ball rolling on his recruitment and Marquette came in and stole one out of the Sunshine State.

2010 forward prospect Tobias Harris of Long Island and NYC forward Shane Southwell are also high on the MU recruiting radar and were among the expected guests for Marquette Madness last fall. Other underclassmen visitors for the event-filled weekend included 6-foot-1 class of 2010 guard Lavonte Dority from Foreman High School in Chicago, 5-foot-10 class of 2012 guard Antonio “Bobo” Drummond from Central High School in Peoria (IL) and 6-foot class of 2012 guard Cameron Harvey from St. Joseph High School in Westchester (IL).

Read more!