Marquette is thriving in its second year under Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles are surpassing expectations for the second straight season. In both years under Smart, the Golden Eagles were picked to finish ninth in Big East play.
I will say, to be fair, it wasn’t that unwarranted of a pick. As usual, the Big East is loaded, being picked to finish ninth is less of an insult but more of a “well there are so many teams we know will be good, you’ve got to slot somewhere.”
Marquette only returned one player this year with at least two years of MU play under his belt, Oso Ighodaro (shoutout to Chandler, Arizona). They came into the year as the least experienced team in the Big East, everyone on the roster has at least two years of eligibility left.
Well, look at them now. At 13-4 overall, and 5-1 in Big East play, and really could be better. Two overtime losses, and had the lead on Purdue in West Lafayette with five minutes to go … but the real test is about to begin, hitting the road to Xavier, and back home for a bare knuckle rematch with Providence.