DeCourcey article today....recruiting the Big East can be a Beast...Buzz mention

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=403158

Plenty of talk as well about how tough the Big East is and whether it's a benefit or a detriment.

[Fullodds]

DeCourcey writes:

"Players who grow up in Wisconsin generally dream of playing in the Big Ten, which is one reason the Badgers have enjoyed an edge in drawing the state's elite prospects"


If this is true, how do you explain:


Steve Novak (Marquette, Houston Rockets)

Travis Diener (Marquette, Indiana Pacers)

Scott Merrit (Marquette)

Scott Christopherson (Mr. Basketball, Marquette, Iowa State)

Wesley Matthews, Jr. (Mr. Basketball, Marquette)

Jerry Smith (Mr. Wisconsin, Louisville)

Reece Gains (Louisville, NBA)

Korie Luciouis (Michigan State)

What elite prospects have gone to Wisconsin?  Brian Butch?  Greg Steimsma?  Devin Harris was not an "elite prospect".

[Mayor McCheese]

can't forget Sam Okey   

[ChicosBailBonds]

I largely agree, though Diener, Novak and Merritt were all part of Crean's first three classes. 

The ones that got away are Maurice Wade, Trevon Hughes, Flowers, Wilkerson, Swartz, Landry etc that were from the state and went to Madison originally.  I have a feeling Anderson is going to UW-madison as well.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I largely agree, though Diener, Novak and Merritt were all part of Crean's first three classes. 

The ones that got away are Maurice Wade, Trevon Hughes, Flowers, Wilkerson, Swartz, Landry etc that were from the state and went to Madison originally.  I have a feeling Anderson is going to UW-madison as well.

You cannot say that the "ones that got away" went to Madison because they dreamt of playing in the Big Ten. It could be that they liked Bo Ryan more than the jerkoff who formerly coached our team.

[Fullodds]

I largely agree, though Diener, Novak and Merritt were all part of Crean's first three classes. 

The ones that got away are Maurice Wade, Trevon Hughes, Flowers, Wilkerson, Swartz, Landry etc that were from the state and went to Madison originally.  I have a feeling Anderson is going to UW-madison as well.

Elite players.  Maurice Wade?  Michael Flowers?  Wilkerson?  Hughes grew up in NY.  Landry is a good player.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Elite players.  Maurice Wade?  Michael Flowers?  Wilkerson?  Hughes grew up in NY.  Landry is a good player.

I'm not saying elite, but they are DI players in our back yard....yes, including Hughes.  MU recruited everyone of those players.  Elite?  No.  Good...yes.  Wilkerson was all Big Ten.  Hughes will be before he's done.  Flowers was a solid DI player, etc.

And to PRN's point, not saying they went there because it was the Big Ten.  No idea, but Wisconsin's emergence after 60 years of crap has not helped MU in recruiting the state of Wisconsin.

[Fullodds]

My point is that Wisconsin has no edge in elite in state recruits.

[MarquetteDano]

I think DeCourcey is simplying things regarding recruits.  I agree attracting a coach to Marquette can be made a little harder due to the Big East, but I think it is a help to Marquette in recruiting...

First, the Big East gets more media coverage than the Big Ten.  Plain and simple.  Not saying its right or justified, but that is the truth.  This includes the better television contract as well.

Second, most Big East schools are in cities whereas most Big Ten schools are in mid-size towns (exception is MN and OSU).  Not everyone wants to go to a Campus dominated town... I know I didn't.

Third, the style of play in the Big East, on average, has to be more appealing to most kids.  The games are a bit more transition oriented, and faster.  Not saying one is better than the other, but I know kids on average prefer the Big East style.

Fourth, there is some kids who really prefer to "get away".  They grow up with Big Ten and they respect it, but they "dare to be different".  Some will be different by going to Oregon, or Oklahoma, or Georgia Tech.  Others will want to stay in the Midwest still.  The Big East fits that mold perfectly for Marquette.

Overall,  I believe it is a huge advantage being the Big East for recruiting.  Imagine if Marquette was still in C-USA or the Big Ten.  How would we stand out?

[ChicosBailBonds]

My point is that Wisconsin has no edge in elite in state recruits.

The trendline may not agree.  The last 6 elite recruits, MU 1 with UW-Madison 3, Louisville 1, etc.

I wouldn't call SC elite....by the way, the players I listed, most were in the top 100 RSCI....including Wade.

[ecompt]

No offense to Travis or Stevie, but you could take the best five players in Wisconsin high-school basketball any given year and there would be 10 high schools from each of the big cities that would blow them off the court. 

[77ncaachamps]

I largely agree, though Diener, Novak and Merritt were all part of Crean's first three classes. 

The ones that got away are Maurice Wade, Trevon Hughes, Flowers, Wilkerson, Swartz, Landry etc that were from the state and went to Madison originally.  I have a feeling Anderson is going to UW-madison as well.

Julian didn't get away. We got him to come to Marquette.

[Pakuni]

While it's nice to land a Wisky kid once in a while, MU's success doesn't hinge in the slightest on winning in-state recruiting battles. If MU filled its yearly recruiting classes with the top players in Wisconsin we'd struggle to compete for the top half of the Big East, much less make the tourney.

[ChicosBailBonds]

While it's nice to land a Wisky kid once in a while, MU's success doesn't hinge in the slightest on winning in-state recruiting battles. If MU filled its yearly recruiting classes with the top players in Wisconsin we'd struggle to compete for the top half of the Big East, much less make the tourney.

Maybe, though of late the top Wisconsin kids have been pretty good.  There have been quite a few top 60 RSCI players in the last decade, way more then in the old days.  At the very least, it would give MU a bit of positive love in the media locally and since our national PR probably won't be like it was under Crean, I'd like to see a little more local love.  It's amazing how loving the local media can get when you add a few locals kids.

[ecompt]

The media in Milwaukee aren't going to care as long as UW-Madsion stays where it is and doesn't move its main campus to Kiev. 

[LovinCrowder]

The media in Milwaukee aren't going to care as long as UW-Madsion stays where it is and doesn't move its main campus to Kiev. 

I SECOND THAT!!!!

[bilsu]

The longer MU is in the Big East the more in-state recruits will consider playing in the Big East conference. Most of the recruits you mention were before MU played a game in the Big East.