Last week the Journal-Sentinel ran an article on Crowder and this week it is DJO's turn to be honored. When Chris Otule went down for the season these two seniors kept their focus and were the leaders in making the adjustments to keep this team playing well.
MU is in the hunt for a Big East title by finishing the first half of conference play alone in second place at 7-2 just one game back in the loss column behind Syracuse who is 9-1. Jae and Darius are the keys to being in this position. Nine games in the book, nine more to play.
GO WARRIORS!!
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DJO Is Big East Player of the Week
By Tom Enlund of the Journal Sentinel
Jan. 30, 2012 2:39 p.m.
Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom has been named the Big East Conference player of the week after averaging 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the Golden Eagles' victories over Villanova and South Florida.
Johnson-Odom has led the team in scoring in each of the last five games and has helped Marquette move into sole possession of second place in the Big East.
Johnson-Odom is averaging a team-high 18.5 points per game.
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Johnson-Odom’s Groove Helping Golden Eagles Win
By Tom Enlund of the Journal Sentinel
Jan. 30, 2012
Marquette senior guard Darius Johnson-Odom has never been a stranger to taking and making big shots in a basketball game.
It's not so much that Johnson-Odom seeks out those shots. It's more that his teammates have a way of finding him when they need a score.
"I think other guys find me more than I try to get my own self going," said Johnson-Odom. "I give credit to guys like Junior (Cadougan) and Davante (Gardner) and Jae (Crowder) who create those driving lanes for me and also find me in open areas. If the ball is in my hands, I think my teammates want me to take that shot."
Johnson-Odom, playing some of the best basketball of his career at Marquette, will lead the Golden Eagles (18-4, 7-2 Big East) into their game against Seton Hall (15-6, 4-5) at the Bradley Center on Tuesday night. Marquette has won six straight, has risen to No. 15 in both national polls and is alone in second place behind Syracuse (22-1, 9-1) in the conference.
Johnson-Odom has had a lot to do with all of that.
"I think he's in a really good groove," said coach Buzz Williams. "D.J. has always been a really good player and if somebody other than me was his coach, he would get more notoriety than he does.
"From a maturity standpoint and from a mental standpoint, he's been in as good of a rhythm as he's ever been in his life. He's playing with great poise and great focus. He's been an excellent teammate and that kind of permeates everyone within our program."
Said forward Jae Crowder, "He's playing very well. He's stepping up to the table when his name is called."
Johnson-Odom, who scored a season-high 26 points in last Saturday's victory at Villanova, was named the Big East's player of the week Monday. He is averaging a team-high 18.5 points per game, has scored in double figures in every game, ranks second to West Virginia's Kevin Jones (20.9) in Big East scoring and is ranked 30th nationally.
Johnson-Odom also finished with six rebounds, five assists and two steals against Villanova.
Johnson-Odom got off to a slow start in the 82-78 victory over Villanova - he didn't score his first field goal until 9:47 remained in the first half - but he scored eight straight Marquette points in the first half when the Golden Eagles were struggling just to stay close. He sank a three-pointer in the closing seconds to keep Marquette within 10 at halftime.
Johnson-Odom sank a three during the Golden Eagles' 12-0, second-half run that gave them their first lead of the game, 57-55. He converted a three-point play, made a three when the lead was changing hands and contributed two free throws and a layup in an 8-0 spurt that gave Marquette the lead for good, 73-69, with 4:43 left.
"I think I got in a groove once we were down," said Johnson-Odom. "I started out like 0 for 3 and was missing layups and runners. Usually I make shots like that. When we're able to get stops, it allows me to create offense in transition and I'm able to score around the basket when guys are playing off each other. I think when we play off each other, anyone can score.
"Our main objective is to get stops. We didn't have any stops in the whole first half. Maybe we had three or four stops in the whole first half. So when we get stops we create offense for us in transition. It creates post-up for Davante and we play off him. So it makes a lot of things easier."
Williams said that Johnson-Odom contributed during timeouts also.
"During that first half, I'm calling timeouts and D.J. is by far the most vocal guy in the group, more than any coach, and it's just a calming influence," said Williams. "I just think his mentality has been outstanding."
Seton Hall will bring a four-game losing streak into the game. Its most recent loss was at home to Louisville on Saturday.
Senior guard Jordan Theodore leads the Pirates in scoring (16.1 points) and his 7.0 assists per game rank second in the league to Vincent Council (7.3) of Providence. Seton Hall senior forward Herb Pope's 10.4 rebounds rank second in the league to Jones' 11.4. Seton Hall senior guard Fuquan Edwin leads the Big East in steals (3.1).
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