BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Rutgers @ Marquette

February 7, 2007



Here are the pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Marquette Basketball Preview (Appleton Crescent)
Hill's Moral: Improve, but Win (Star-Ledger)
Crean is Wary of Rutgers (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
Hill Pleased with Rutgers Recent Play (Courier-News)
Rutgers Scouting Report


Click below for our brief preview and prediction on this game and don't forget to leave your prediction in the comments section.


READ OUR PREVIEW AND SEE OUR PREDICTION...CLICK "Read More" BELOW



Last year it was Rutgers pulling off the big upset when they beat Marquette, don't look for the same result this time. This year there is no Quincy Douby and the game is in Milwaukee, not at the RAC. Still, Tom Crean is worried about Rutgers, especially after the Scarlet Knights, without JR Inman, took Connecticut to overtime in Hartford in their last game. Still, that is likely coachspeak because Marquette matches up very well with Rutgers at every position and will be playing the game at home.

Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wes Mathews are probably the nation's top guard trio and they will likely make life very difficult tonight for Anthony Farmer, Marquis Webb and Jaron Griffin. Theu ball-hawking defense and explosive quickness should allow them to have an answer for everyone Rutgers wants to do on either side of the court on the perimeter.

Inside, Rutgers has not been getting much production, besides from Inman. They will need a Herculean effort from Inman to stay in this one as he is likely the only match-up Rutgers can look to exploit. However, marquette has several defensive options, including a suffocating zone, that they could use to slow the ability of the Knights to get Inman in position to take over the game.

Look for the Golden Eagles to race out to a big lead early and put the game on cruise control. A comfortable win is expected, not sure if they will cover the 17.5-pt spread by the end, but they are capable of it.

NBE Blogger's Prediction: Marquette 74 Rutgers 57