According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dominic James will return from his broken foot today when Marquette faces Missouri for the right to go to The Sweet Sixteen.
I'm not sure exactly how many minutes James will be able to play, but his return will be a shot in the arm to a Golden Eagles club that has struggled since he got hurt in late February against UCONN.
Missouri is coached by Mike Anderson, a Nolan Richardson disciple, so James' return couldn't come at a better time. Maurice Acker is a nice point guard, but James is this team's leader. Everyone, especially, Jerel McNeal, feeds off of him, and he will be better equipped to handle Missouri's defensive pressure than Acker or David Cubillan would be able to.
If you think about it, this really is the only way for James to go out. He's been cleared by the doctors, so the risk for further injury should be minimal. He also looked out of place on the bench as a quasi-assistant coach/cheerleader.
He's a player. He is Marquette's most valuable player (even if the stats don't necessarily prove that). This is really the only way it could have happened. Anyone who knows James knew he was going to do his best to get back on the floor to help his teammates.
Will his presence translate into a win for MU? Well, let's just say this. I had Marquette winning this game and getting to The Sweet Sixteen. I was more than just a little nervous about the pick before this morning. Now, I feel a lot better.
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