Marquette Golden Eagles
Big East (23-8, 14-4)
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Marquette was on the cusp of being a great team all year. The Eagles battled Louisville for second place in the conference during the last week of the season. That is when they really seemed to hit their stride with a few big wins to bolster their resume. To their benefit, they play in the Big East. Stiff competition and gritty wins may set them up for a grind-it-out run in the tournament. They have some veterans that have been there before and their coach, Buzz Williams, is an emotional leader who can push them in a big situation. Marquette is poised to win some games. The question is how many.
Big Wins: 1/5 Georgetown (49-48), 1/12 at Pittsburgh (74-67), 2/25 Syracuse (74-71)
Bad Losses: 12/19 at Green Bay (47-49), 1/19 at Cincinnati (69-71), 2/23 at Villanova (56-60)
Coach: Buzz Williams (5 seasons at Marquette)
Why They Can Surprise:
This team has been there before, and that is what is going to help them the most as they make their way through the tournament. Veterans like Vander Blue, Davante Gardner, and Junior Cadougan all have all been the Elite Eight the past two seasons. They understand what it takes to win in a postseason game. They are a strong shooting team. They hit a high percentage from the floor (46.7), though they do not score a lot of points. They are smart in the half-court offense as well. They try to find the open man and make the most out of each possession. They average nearly 15 assists per game, which is proof of their patience trying to find the right shot. This team has a lot of hustle as well. They are an extension of Buzz Williams, and he is fully into every game. Energy will never be a problem for Marquette. It may even help them win a few games.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Marquette is dreadful at three-point shooting. They only hit about four per game. Almost every other team in Division I hits more than that. They also tend to lose the turnover battles. They average 13.5, which is not terrible, but their defense does not generate very many for their offense. Their opponents find their way to the basket way too often. The Eagles constantly find themselves in close games. Close games can go either way, which is not where Marquette wants to be. They are going to need solid production from everybody come tournament time. Vander Blue is the only consistent scorer it seems. Coach Williams has a lot of minutes to dish out. His bench goes deep. There just are not a lot of players pouring in points. With only two players averaging points in low double-figures, eventually Marquette is going to have to figure out how to score.
Probable Starters:
Vander Blue, Junior, Guard, 14.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Trent Lockett, Senior, Guard, 7.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Junior Cadougan, Senior, Guard, 8.7 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.9 rpg
Chris Otule, Senior, Center, 4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Juan Anderson, Sophomore, Forward, 3.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Davante Gardner, Junior, Forward, 11.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Jamil Wilson, Junior, Forward, 9.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Todd Mayo, Sophomore, Guard, 6.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg
Derrick Wilson, Sophomore, Guard, 1.3 ppg, 1.7 apg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 69.1 (132nd in nation, 7th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.4 (66, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 46.7 (35, 3)
Field-Goal Defense: 40.6 (72, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 4.3 (327, 14)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: n/a
Free-Throw Percentage: 72.5 (68, 2)
Rebound Margin: 4.1 (58, 5)
Assists Per Game: 14.5 (66, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.5 (202, 11)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over Brigham Young
2012 NCAA Round of 32 win over Murray State
2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Florida
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Xavier
2011 NCAA Round of 32 win over Syracuse
2011 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to North Carolina
2010 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Washington
2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Utah State
2009 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Missouri
2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Kentucky
2008 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Stanford
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
