The label on Marquette’s Jerel McNeal always has been as a grind-it-out guard who chases down loose balls like a base-runner stealing home and whose hands are as quick as a Vegas dealer when it comes to swiping steals.
Nothing wrong with that. The Golden Eagles still count on his defensive intensity and smarts, but more and more McNeal is revealing himself as an offensive weapon.
In the Golden Eagles’ two games before facing Notre Dame in Thursday’s Big East quarterfinals, McNeal averaged 21.5 points. Then he scored a career-high 28 points to help beat the Irish 89-79 and advance to Friday’s semifinals against Pittsburgh.
“I think it goes without saying how important he is,” Marquette coach Tom Crean said after the Golden Eagles’ first-round victory over Seton Hall on Wednesday. “He’s not only one of the best players in the conference, but I think he’s one of the best players in the country. I think it’s because he plays both ends of the floor with an absolute vengeance. That’s what separates him.”
After being voted as the conference’s defensive player last season, McNeal was not an award winner this year despite leading the league with 2.27 steals per game. At this rate, he could be up for the conference’s player of the year, which usually goes to the best offensive player.
Last season at this time, McNeal could be counted on only as a cheerleader.
With a broken thumb, he missed the Golden Eagles’ last five games, including two games in the Big East tournament and a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament.
For one of the team’s — and conference’s — hungriest players, the opportunity to play in the post season has been a meat-and-potatoes meal.
“It’s a good feeling just being out there,” said McNeal, a junior from Hillcrest.
Even better when he’s out there performing like that.
During a 13-5 run to convert a 10-point deficit into a 47-46 lead in less than four minutes, McNeal scored seven straight points.
McNeal’s best friend got in on the action, too. Maurice Acker scored 10 straight points with three three-pointers to pull the Golden Eagles into the next round.
Entering the season, the Golden Eagles talked about avoiding an early exit from the postseason after dropping out in the second round of the Big East tournament and first round of the NCAA tournament last season.
With McNeal in the lineup, Marquette looks like a survivor.
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sryan@tribune.com
