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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Marquette Men’s Basketball: A season to remember

Darius Johnson-Odom. Photo by Danny Alfonzo/ [email protected]

Buzz Williams was asked in Louisville to describe his team in one word. His response: “Resilient or relentless, depending on our mood.”

Williams has had a way with words this year, but he also accurately portrayed the personality of the record-setting Golden Eagles in 2011-’12.

Like all but one NCAA Tournament team, the Golden Eagles’ season ended in defeat. But a 10-point loss to Florida in the Sweet 16 could not overshadow the team’s successes, including a program-best 14 Big East wins and second place finish, as well as two All-Big East members, including the Big East Player of the Year.

But none of those accolades, or the 27 total wins they piled up, would have been possible without the effort each of the 12 players put in each day.

“They loved to work,” Williams said. “I want to be around guys that love to wake up every day and go to work and do the same thing. And I think everybody in our program — our assistants, our trainers, our strength coach — they made a decision every day to go to work, and I salute and respect that.”

The team’s philosophy on both ends of the floor changed dramatically when 6-foot-10 center Chris Otule was sidelined with a torn ACL just eight games in. The Golden Eagles, already undersized, turned to center-by-default Jamil Wilson, who blossomed after Otule’s injury.

Wilson’s insertion into the lineup made Marquette one of the fastest, albeit smallest, teams in the country. Also on the Golden Eagles’ side was one of the best players in the country.

Senior Jae Crowder, a unanimous selection to the All-Big East First Team, a second team All-American and the school’s first Big East Player of the Year, turned in one of the most successful seasons in program history. He led the Golden Eagles in rebounding, steals, heart and dedication. He was at the forefront of all Marquette successes and was first to take the blame when things went wrong.

Nowhere was this seen better than when he led the shorthanded Golden Eagles to a 61-60 victory at West Virginia in February. Playing without three starters in the first half, Crowder kept Marquette in the game and took over late, finishing with 26 points in the comeback win.

“This team was relentless,” Crowder said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be around another group of guys who really care about winning and losing like we did. When you’re around a group of guys like that, you’re willing to work every day and put your body on the line each and every game.”

Always by Crowder’s side was Darius Johnson-Odom. The All-Big East First Team member was second in the Big East in scoring and 3-point shooting and averaged 17.0 points per game in Marquette’s three NCAA Tournament games.

“I’m going to miss these guys, for sure,” Johnson-Odom said. “I hope I made an impact on some of the younger guys.”

One of those younger players was freshman Todd Mayo. Unknown to most when he arrived on campus last summer, Mayo brought a scoring punch off the bench and was arguably the Golden Eagles’ best perimeter defender.

“It was definitely a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice,” Mayo said. “I just give it all back to my teammates who put me in this position, for pushing me every day in practice.”

The Golden Eagles’ second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance did not come easy, but the talented group of hard workers were relentless in their pursuit of success, from individual work outs in the summer to the closing seconds in Phoenix.

“We ended it doing what we had been doing all season long,” Wilson said. “And I can’t be prouder of my guys for that.”

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