A Review of the Golden Eagles

[OmahaGuy]

Rough end to the year for Marquette. If there's any silver lining to this, it's that at least they're back in the dance. They didn't make it often under Wojo. Step in the right direction!

OUT
*Darryl Morsell
*Kur Kuath
*Justin Lewis (going pro)
*Greg Elliot (transferring to Pittsburgh)

STAY
*Stevie Mitchell
*Oso Ighodaro
*Olivier-Maxence Prosper
*Tyler Kolek
*Kam Jones

IN
*Chase Ross
*Sean Jones
*Ben Gold
*Zach Wrightsil (transfer from NAIA Loyola New Orleans)

My 0.02:
Not a bad year for Marquette! 19-13 overall and 11-8 in league play. Setting the foundation under Shaka Smart for the future. Lots of good pieces should return. If Marquette can land another good piece or 2 in the transfer portal or other HS recruits, Marquette should be in solid shape next season. Lewis is a stud. Jones had a good freshman year.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Elliott is done. Lewis *might* be gone to the NBA Draft. We will look at a grad transfer center (Oso cannot start) and a shooting guard. Rebounding will be a high priority, for obvious reasons.

Shaka did wonders in the transfer portal last year. With his reputation coaching bigs, I have a lot of faith he will get a good body through the portal.

[billyjack]

As you both said, this year was a success for Marquette. The roster was cleared out with Garcia, Carton, McEwen, etc, gone. i thought the ceiling was the NIT. So Shaka earning an NCAA bid blew away expectations.

For a stretch, mid January to early February, they were playing as good as any team in the country, and were up to #18 in the polls.

[Jet915]

Sounds like Justin Lewis is coming back. Huge news for Marquette and Big East. Likely BE Preseason POY.

[ArmyVet]

Sounds like Justin Lewis is coming back. Huge news for Marquette and Big East. Likely BE Preseason POY.

Is he? Sounds like there was some conflicting news.

[Jet915]

Sounds like Justin Lewis is coming back. Huge news for Marquette and Big East. Likely BE Preseason POY.

Is he? Sounds like there was some conflicting news.

I guess he said it on ig video or something and then walked it back?

[GoldenWarrior11]

MU adds Loyola (New Orleans) transfer, Zach Wrightsil. Transfer from Loyola New Orleans. Was NAIA player of the year. 23.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in their postseason tournament. Considering the big jump in talent, I'll temper my expectations. I'd project him as a backup to Joplin, if Lewis departs (which is more likely now).

[MUPanther]

Wrightsil will start over Joplin.

[Jet915]

Lewis staying in the draft, that hurts.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Lewis staying in the draft, that hurts.

No doubt that it hurts the team's ceiling next year. However, many MU fans are still very excited about the core that Shaka has organized, as well as the minutes available to each of them going into next year. Mitchell/Kolek/OMax/Wrightsil/Ighodaro is projected starting-5, which projects as a better defensive team overall, but (without Lewis and Morsell) a weaker shooting team as well. Jones can come off the bench with scoring, as can Joplin and Ellis. It is worrisome that rebounding was not really addressed. We were pitiful rebounding the basketball this season, and we lost our three of our top rebounders (Lewis, Kuath, Morsell). The key for next year and beyond remains player development, which thankfully is one of Shaka's strengths (as shown last year, at Texas and at VCU).

As good as Kolek was in the first half of last year with PNR opportunities, teams adjusted to him as the season went on. I'd really like to see him play more off the ball as a 2-guard (his spot-up shooting numbers were very strong), and it very much looks like Shaka would like to have a 2-PG system (between Mitchell, the Joneses and Kolek). The social media pictures of the workouts look like much of the team has gotten stronger, so there's that.

I think next year's projection of being a #35-#45 team is accurate, unless a surprise transfer is added. I think the biggest key for next year's team will be how big a jump OMax can make.