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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Crowder filling Hayward’s shoes

Junior forward Jae Crowder has done his best Lazar Hayward impression this season.Photo by Ryan Glazier / [email protected]

After Marquette’s 80-78 loss to Washington in the NCAA Tournament, the thought on many Marquette fans’ mind had to be about what the team was going to do without forward Lazar Hayward inside.

Hayward was the only Marquette forward not named Jimmy Butler who averaged more than 3.1 rebounds or 3.5 points per game in more than 10 games last season.

Insert junior forward Jae Crowder.

Crowder’s physical dimensions — 6-foot-6-inches, 225 pounds — are identical to Hayward’s. Ironically, the two also have a similar style of game: Crowder can hit 3-pointers — he’s shooting 40 percent (34-of-85) — and can still play inside with Big East post players. He leads the team in rebounds at 6.7 per game. The two also share the same jersey, No. 32.

“Here and there it’s different, but in terms of them kind of being the same player, that’s definitely a fair comparison,” Butler said.

In his first regular season game, Crowder nearly put up a double-double with 11 points and seven rebounds. In Crowder’s first Big East game, he scored a career-high 29 points and added eight rebounds.

Crowder said his mental and physical preparation were key for his early Marquette success.

“Coming in with the right mental stability that you need to help you throughout a long season and the right people in your circle: That’s the key to being successful,” Crowder said.

Coming out of high school, Crowder was not offered a scholarship from any Division I school, which forced him to go the junior college route.

“That’s one of my key motivators,” Crowder said. “No one really knew who I was, no one really cared who I was. But I knew the whole time who I could be and who I could become.”

Crowder said he may not have been as successful right away had he come to Marquette straight from high school.

“I don’t know if I would have been mentally ready,” Crowder said. “There’s a lot of things that can break you down. I don’t think me as a person, coming straight out of high school, would have handled it the right way.”

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for Crowder at Marquette. After Buzz Williams’ annual preseason boot camp, the Marquette coach told Crowder that he “looked like Tarzan” but “played like Jane,” according to freshman forward Jamail Jones. Crowder said it wasn’t a fair assessment.

“Everything he says negatively about you, the only way you can overcome it is to use it as a motivational tool because he’s like that day in and day out,” Crowder said. “He just wants tough guys, and at that time I was still learning how to do things and the way we do things here at Marquette.”

Over Marquette’s last four games, three of which have been losses, Crowder averaged 10.5 points and six rebounds per game — below his 13 point and 6.7 rebound-per-game-averages.

Crowder said his stats have decreased in part because teams have noticed the way he scores and have made adjustments.

“I think it’s key for me to keep doing what I do and playing the way I know how to play,” Crowder said. “Whatever it takes, I’m down to take it, whether it be numbers rising or falling.”

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  • J

    JackFeb 17, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    This story is misleading. Choosing #32 has been nothing but trouble for Crowder. Don’t get me wrong: he’s an excellent player. But he hasn’t come close to replacing Hayward….because you can’t replace a Lazar Hayward. Crowder has been the third, maybe fourth (if you put Buycks ahead of him) best player on a marginal Marquette team. Crowder is good, but this article seems forced and is pimping up a nice player who happens to be just like Lazar.

    Crowder disappears a LOT and the front page of the Tribune, “Lazar Who?” is a slap in the face to the second all-time leading scorer and fifth all-time leading rebounder.

    Reply
  • R

    R.W. WrongFeb 17, 2011 at 10:47 am

    Good story Nelson. If only Crowder could play defense half as well as Zar. Next time you see him tell him to stop doubling down at the arc only to watch his man cut to the hole for an easy lay up off an in-bounds play.

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