Darius Johnson-Odom blew up so much this past season at Marquette that we had him write us a running blog of Marquette’s deep tournament run. But even we didn’t know he could dunk like this. In the Greater North Carolina Pro-Am earlier this week, DJO caught a lob from Austin Rivers and gave it a little Vince Carter twist. Straight nasty. See another baseline view of it within a top 10 list (at 1:36) after the jump.

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After an efficient sophomore year in which he averaged 13.0 points on 45.5 percent shooting, including 47.4 percent from distance, Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom upped his scoring average by nearly three points this season and made big strides on the defensive end to became an All-Big East Second Team selection. On Sunday, DJO poured in 17 points, including the game-winning triple with 25 seconds left, to lift Marquette to an upset over 3-seeded Syracuse that clinched the school’s first Sweet 16 birth since the Dwyane Wade era. Friday, DJO will look to continue his hot play against No. 2 North Carolina, a school that he grew up about 40 minutes from in Raleigh, N.C, yet still wasn’t recruited by. Here are his words: Read More »

After an efficient sophomore year in which he averaged 13.0 points on 45.5 percent shooting, including 47.4 percent from distance, Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom took his game a step further this season. By upping his scoring average by nearly three points and making big strides on the defensive end, he became an All-Big East Second Team selection and led Marquette to a 9-9 record in the toughest conference in America. Friday night, DJO poured in a game-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting to lead his 11th-seeded Golden Eagles past 6th-seeded Xavier. On Sunday, DJO went for 17, including the game-winning triple with 25 seconds left, to lift Marquette to another upset over 3-seeded Syracuse, clinching the school’s first Sweet 16 birth since the Dwyane Wade era. Here are his words: Read More »

Do not get Kobe Bryant fired up to the point where he wants to steal your soul. Just don’t do it. In an intense, physical game in L.A. last night, the Portland Trail Blazers awoke the sleeping giant that has been Kobe over the last few games and paid dearly for it. Portland was in control until the last seven or eight minutes of the game, when the tide started to turn. Kobe was the best he’s looked since hurting his ankle a few games ago and was more emotional than we’ve seen him in a long time, fist-pumping after shots and stops, extra animated when jawing with the refs, and he had a serious scowl going for the entire fourth quarter. The Lakers eventually took the lead and Bryant hit his patented right baseline, pullup fadeway over Brandon Roy to put them up six and essentially end the game. Bryant went nuts after the shot fell, high-fiving fans, fist-pumping, yelling, and almost ripped his off own jersey. Lakers color guy Stu Lantz screamed, “The best finisher in the game comes through in the clutch!” … Immediately after the game, a Lakers sideline reporter asked a still visibly agitated Kobe what he was thinking before that jumper. Read More »

After an efficient sophomore year in which he averaged 13.0 points on 45.5 percent shooting, including 47.4 percent from distance, Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom took his game a step further this season. By upping his scoring average by nearly three points and making big strides on the defensive end, he became an All-Big East Second Team selection and led Marquette to a 9-9 record in the toughest conference in America. Friday night, DJO poured in a game-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting to lead his 11th-seeded Golden Eagles past 6th-seeded Xavier to set up a second-round matchup with conference foe Syracuse. Here are his words: Read More »

After an efficient sophomore year in which he averaged 13.0 points on 45.5 percent shooting, including 47.4 percent from distance, Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom took his game a step further this season. By upping his scoring average by nearly three points and making big strides on the defensive end, he became an All-Big East Second Team selection and led Marquette to a 9-9 record in the toughest conference in America. DJO will now try to use his pure shooting stroke and defensive toughness to advance his 11th-seeded Golden Eagles deep into March. Darius has agreed to take Dime readers along with him on the journey, which begins Friday in Cleveland against 6th-seeded Xavier. Here are his words: Read More »

After an efficient sophomore year in which he averaged 13.0 points on 45.5 percent shooting, including 47.4 percent from distance, Marquette guard Darius Johnson-Odom took his game a step further this season. By upping his scoring average by nearly three points and making big strides on the defensive end, he became an All-Big East Second Team selection and led Marquette to a 9-9 record in the toughest conference in America. DJO will now try to use his pure shooting stroke and defensive toughness to advance his 11th-seeded Golden Eagles deep into March. Darius has agreed to take Dime readers along with him on the journey, which begins Friday in Cleveland against 6th-seeded Xavier. Here are his words: Read More »

For years, I’ve said that the Big East Tournament makes up my five favorite days of the basketball year. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the NCAA tournament or the NBA Playoffs, but to me, it doesn’t get better than many of the best teams in the college playing in the biggest city in the country in the World’s Most Famous Arena. Thursday’s games were just more testimony to my already strong beliefs. Here are my awards from Day 3… Read More »

Five NCAA teams that got my attention this past weekend for various reasons:

1. Michigan State (7-3) Considering the Detroit Pistons’ fall from NBA grace and Michigan State’s rise to NCAA elite, I’m not sure if Saturday’s doubleheader at The Palace of Auburn Hills was meant to showcase Pistons/Raptors as the main event or the undercard. Before the Pistons blew a 25-point lead and lost their game, the Spartans barely hung on to beat unranked Oakland. Read More »

What are one of the benefits of having Jordan Brand frontman Dwyane Wade as an alumnus of your school? Try the hottest kicks exclusively for your squad. Last Thursday before Midnight Madness, Marquette junior guard Darius Johnson-Odom tweeted a picture of the heat they’ll be wearing this season. (And he’s from Raleigh, N.C., so you know he loves MJ.) Read More »