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Simply put, Shaka Smart is having, at best, the second-worst season of his 15-year head-coaching career (an 11–22 season at Texas is the other contender), as the Golden Eagles are 5–0 against sub-200 teams but a whopping 0–9 against everyone else.
What’s the problem? Marquette has taken a step back largely because its offense has stagnated without consistent shot creation, allowing defenses to load up and force tough, late-clock possessions when the team can’t generate offense in transition. Defensively, the pressure and turnover generation that defined Smart’s best teams hasn’t been as disruptive, leading to fewer easy points going the other way. Add in roster turnover and uneven guard play, and the margin for error that once covered up dry spells on offense has disappeared. Smart-coached teams also typically rebound poorly, which doesn’t help the formula.
To make matters worse, starting two-guard Zaide Lowery was kicked off the team late in December, souring the vibes and leaving the backcourt even younger and thinner in both talent and defensive potential.
Senior Chase Ross is Marquette’s star combo guard who feasted earlier this year, averaging 20.3 points, 4.0 assists, 8.2 free-throw attempts, and a 56.9 eFG% over the first nine games, but he has struggled of late, averaging just 10.0 points, 2.0 assists, 1.6 turnovers, and a 28.6 eFG% over the last five games. Despite those struggles, Ross is clearly the headline of opponents’ game plans and has consistently been Marquette’s best defensive player. His jump shot is off, but Ross remains an excellent creator off the dribble and is elite at generating fouls on basket attacks.
A bright spot in Marquette’s backcourt has been freshman point guard Nigel James, a bit of a throwback undersized lead guard, with only one-quarter of his field-goal attempts coming from three. He does much of his facilitating and scoring inside the arc. While Ross anchors Marquette’s defense, James is also a very good defender who pressures the ball, generates steals, and plays with a bulldog mentality reminiscent of Malachi Smith. I like him.
Starting in Lowery’s place at the 2-guard is big-bodied freshman guard Adrien Stevens, Marquette’s highest ranked recruit from their five-man ‘25 class. While a low-usage guy as a freshman, Stevens came into the season most known as an attacker off the bounce as he can fly in transition and also use his strength to bruise through in the backcourt, but so far at Marquette, he’s been the team’s top floor-spacer as 80% of his FGAs are from deep, making 37% of those attempts.
After showing potential earlier in his career, injuries have forced redshirt junior point guard Sean Jones into a bench role, both backing up and playing alongside James. He’s a weak defender and a poor shooter, but he provides energy, pace, and craftiness, and he’s a smart guard with good vision.
Although not officially a starter, senior center Ben Gold leads the frontcourt in minutes played and operates almost exclusively as a dunk-or-three offensive option, with two-thirds of his field-goal attempts coming from deep. Because he plays primarily on the perimeter, he doesn’t generate many offensive rebounds, but he has reached career highs in defensive rebounding while his block rate is at an all-time low. He’s arguably Marquette’s best frontcourt defender, though that’s a low bar.
Sophomore Royce Parham is a throwback power forward who, like Gold, plays an inside-out game and excels on the offensive glass. Like Gold—and, frankly, like everyone who plays the 4 or 5 at Marquette—Parham looks to score when the ball is in his hands and is neither a facilitator nor a strong passer, though he is a solid defender.
Sophomore Caedin Hamilton starts at the 5 but primarily plays backup minutes at both frontcourt spots. A stout, thickly built forward whose lack of foot speed limits his defensive impact, Hamilton is Marquette’s only reliable rim protector and an excellent offensive rebounder. He’s very turnover-prone and, overall, a limited offensive player.
Backing up the 3 and 4 is another sophomore, Damariius Owens, who is best described as the team’s most athletic frontcourt piece. He excels in transition, plays above the rim, and is effective attacking off the dribble and as a slasher. His outside shooting numbers have been poor this year, though he hit 34% of his threes last season. Despite his athleticism, Owens hasn’t yet developed consistent defensive awareness and currently grades out as Marquette’s worst defender.
Backup seven-footer Joshua Clark plays sparingly but has posted strong rebounding and block rates in limited minutes. Expect at least one of Parham and/or Gold to be on the floor at all times to maintain spacing.
While we’re used to seeing Marquette as one of the better teams in the conference, the Golden Eagles are clearly a bottom-barrel Big East team this season—and one with plenty of bad vibes to spare.
What’s the problem? Marquette has taken a step back largely because its offense has stagnated without consistent shot creation, allowing defenses to load up and force tough, late-clock possessions when the team can’t generate offense in transition. Defensively, the pressure and turnover generation that defined Smart’s best teams hasn’t been as disruptive, leading to fewer easy points going the other way. Add in roster turnover and uneven guard play, and the margin for error that once covered up dry spells on offense has disappeared. Smart-coached teams also typically rebound poorly, which doesn’t help the formula.
To make matters worse, starting two-guard Zaide Lowery was kicked off the team late in December, souring the vibes and leaving the backcourt even younger and thinner in both talent and defensive potential.
Senior Chase Ross is Marquette’s star combo guard who feasted earlier this year, averaging 20.3 points, 4.0 assists, 8.2 free-throw attempts, and a 56.9 eFG% over the first nine games, but he has struggled of late, averaging just 10.0 points, 2.0 assists, 1.6 turnovers, and a 28.6 eFG% over the last five games. Despite those struggles, Ross is clearly the headline of opponents’ game plans and has consistently been Marquette’s best defensive player. His jump shot is off, but Ross remains an excellent creator off the dribble and is elite at generating fouls on basket attacks.
A bright spot in Marquette’s backcourt has been freshman point guard Nigel James, a bit of a throwback undersized lead guard, with only one-quarter of his field-goal attempts coming from three. He does much of his facilitating and scoring inside the arc. While Ross anchors Marquette’s defense, James is also a very good defender who pressures the ball, generates steals, and plays with a bulldog mentality reminiscent of Malachi Smith. I like him.
Starting in Lowery’s place at the 2-guard is big-bodied freshman guard Adrien Stevens, Marquette’s highest ranked recruit from their five-man ‘25 class. While a low-usage guy as a freshman, Stevens came into the season most known as an attacker off the bounce as he can fly in transition and also use his strength to bruise through in the backcourt, but so far at Marquette, he’s been the team’s top floor-spacer as 80% of his FGAs are from deep, making 37% of those attempts.
After showing potential earlier in his career, injuries have forced redshirt junior point guard Sean Jones into a bench role, both backing up and playing alongside James. He’s a weak defender and a poor shooter, but he provides energy, pace, and craftiness, and he’s a smart guard with good vision.
Although not officially a starter, senior center Ben Gold leads the frontcourt in minutes played and operates almost exclusively as a dunk-or-three offensive option, with two-thirds of his field-goal attempts coming from deep. Because he plays primarily on the perimeter, he doesn’t generate many offensive rebounds, but he has reached career highs in defensive rebounding while his block rate is at an all-time low. He’s arguably Marquette’s best frontcourt defender, though that’s a low bar.
Sophomore Royce Parham is a throwback power forward who, like Gold, plays an inside-out game and excels on the offensive glass. Like Gold—and, frankly, like everyone who plays the 4 or 5 at Marquette—Parham looks to score when the ball is in his hands and is neither a facilitator nor a strong passer, though he is a solid defender.
Sophomore Caedin Hamilton starts at the 5 but primarily plays backup minutes at both frontcourt spots. A stout, thickly built forward whose lack of foot speed limits his defensive impact, Hamilton is Marquette’s only reliable rim protector and an excellent offensive rebounder. He’s very turnover-prone and, overall, a limited offensive player.
Backing up the 3 and 4 is another sophomore, Damariius Owens, who is best described as the team’s most athletic frontcourt piece. He excels in transition, plays above the rim, and is effective attacking off the dribble and as a slasher. His outside shooting numbers have been poor this year, though he hit 34% of his threes last season. Despite his athleticism, Owens hasn’t yet developed consistent defensive awareness and currently grades out as Marquette’s worst defender.
Backup seven-footer Joshua Clark plays sparingly but has posted strong rebounding and block rates in limited minutes. Expect at least one of Parham and/or Gold to be on the floor at all times to maintain spacing.
While we’re used to seeing Marquette as one of the better teams in the conference, the Golden Eagles are clearly a bottom-barrel Big East team this season—and one with plenty of bad vibes to spare.
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