Marquette had a rough season last year, but Shaka Smart put together a roster that should definitely have a bounce back. Between returning guys and new guys, the Golden Eagles have something cooking. Nigel James is going to absolutely be in the running for Big East Player of the Year…and he’s only a sophomore. James had a great freshman season, which got better as time went on. He can pretty much do everything as a point guard. He’s a tough player who can both create and set up his teammates. With total control of the team, James will be leading the Golden Eagles to redemption. Adrien Stevens is a 3&D sharpshooter that will very much benefit next to James. This backcourt is going to give opponents hell on both sides of the court. Nolan Minesaale was a really good grab after a very impressive campaign at St. Thomas. He follows the defensive mindset as mentioned earlier and is a successful passer. His frame and skillset is a nice addition to this Golden Eagles squad. Royce Parham could very well be an X factor on this squad. He gets it done on the defensive end and especially on the glass. His offensive game keeps improving, which would really benefit Marquette. Sananda Fru likely has the most pressure on him. He had a decent first year at Louisville from Germany, but he has to make a bigger impression to prove himself in the center dominated Big East. Fru has the tools to do it, it’s just about executing the next step. Him taking that next step would do wonders for Marquette. This seems like the best opportunity for wing Damaris Owens to break out. He has a jumper that hasn’t been as on display as he would’ve liked yet. His athleticism is beneficial on both ends of the floor though. Also as a wing depth is freshman Alex Egbuonu. His motor and defensive versatility will earn him time with this culture, but his offense will be something developed along the way. I like Michael Phillips II as a depth piece. He showed great shooting ability on relatively small volume, but showed up in the Big East tournament when he got more time. With consistent minutes, his shot should be better utilized. Caedin Hamilton was good on the glass, but there is a lot to improve everywhere else. Colton Crowdis is pretty underrated. This kid is an incredible scorer and distributor. I like him coming off the bench as a sneaky addition from Shaka. The depth for this team is very sneaky good. Marquette should be very solidified in a group of like 4ish teams in the Big East after UConn and St. John’s (Freeman injury makes things interesting though). This team is clamps led by the beast of Nigel James. The main issue I have is at the center position, which is a big potential issue in the Big East of all conferences. Besides that though, I’m buying stock in Marquette. March Mindset Outlook: ⭐️ Best Player: Nigel James 💪 Biggest Strength: Defensive Versatility ⚠️ Biggest Weakness: Center Certainty 🔑 X-Factor: Sananda Fru 🎯 Tournament Outlook: Bubble