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 ====== November 24, 2009 - South Dakota vs. Marquette ======
 {{men_s_basketball:teams_southdakota.gif|}} ** South Dakota 41 {{men_s_basketball:teams_marquette.gif|}}  Marquette 93**
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 Another transition layup by Hayward gave Marquette a 45-35 lead, and Acker's 3-pointer from the left corner with 15 seconds left gave the Golden Eagles a 13-point advantage, their largest of the first half.
+===== Off To A Good Start =====
+For the first time, the "swing vote" made a major difference.
+Labeled as such before the season by Marquette coach [[Buzz Williams]] for his ability to provide energy and offense off the bench, [[Darius Johnson-Odom]] received his first starting assignment Tuesday night and made the most of it. His career-high 18 points helped lead the Golden Eagles to a 93-68 victory over South Dakota at the Bradley Center.
+Johnson-Odom, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, got the nod after usual starter [[Dwight Buycks]] hadn't practiced because of an ankle injury, and he wound up playing a team-high 31 minutes. He connected on 6 of 12 shots overall and was one of three players to knock down 3 three-pointers as MU (4-0) drilled 12 of 20 (60.0%) from beyond the arc overall.
+"It was nice to play right away, but whatever the team needs me to do, I'm down to do it," said the junior-college transfer. "If that means coming off the bench, playing hard defense, getting open shots or getting other teammates open, that's what I need to do."
+Indeed, in the Golden Eagles' first three games Johnson-Odom had been as a role player, in part because he missed more a month of the off-season with a lingering foot injury he suffered in pre-season workouts.
+His performance against South Dakota came on the heels of a 13-point, 16-minute outing Saturday against Grambling. He has scored in double digits in three games overall and is 9 for 19 on three-point attempts.
+Johnson-Odom also displayed some craftiness with the basketball, as he got into the gaps of the Cowboys' staunch zone defense and was able to more than double his previous high with five assists.
+Another ball-handler and reliable three-point shooter is exactly what Williams is looking for out of a backcourt devoid of depth after freshman point guard [[Junior Cadougan]] was lost for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon.
+"I do think that Darius is a wild card," said Williams. "He's not a swing vote relative to his offense; he can go get one whenever you want him to go get one. I think he's a really, really good shooter, and now he causes people problems.
+"I thought he played a lot better tonight, but his last four practices he's been as good as I thought he would be."
+As solid as Johnson-Odom was, it was once again Lazar Hayward who led the way for MU. The senior forward put up a game-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds in just 20 minutes of action, as Williams rested him for much of the second half.
+[[Jimmy Butler]] added 13 points and Maurice Acker 11 for the Golden Eagles, who shot an even 50% for the second consecutive game (34 for 68).
+MU led, 48-35, at halftime and slowly pulled away from South Dakota (2-3) from there, leading by as many as 29 in the second half.
+The Golden Eagles were playing their first game without sophomore center Chris Otule, who was lost for the season after breaking his right foot in practice on Monday night.
+Williams went with Hayward, Butler and junior Joe Fulce on the front line, and freshmen [[Jeronne Maymon]] (nine points, six rebounds) and [[Erik Williams]] each had their opportunities as well.
+MU leaves early Wednesday for Orlando, Fla., where the Golden Eagles will face Xavier on Thursday in the first round of the Old Spice Classic.
 ===== Box Score =====

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