Head Coach Tom Crean once again has his players in the hunt for the Conference USA title, but the road that lies ahead of the No. 11 Marquette Golden Eagles (17-3, 8-1 C-USA) is not going to be an easy one.
The main man for the Golden Eagles has been junior guard Dwyane Wade. Wade leads C-USA in scoring average with 21.8 points per game and is an integral part of Marquette's success. His play dictates the game and the Golden Eagles rely mainly on his talents on the court.
Beyond Wade, Crean strives to have a strong defensive squad that can rebound well. Size in the post is a key to his system, and with the crop of players he has this year, size has not been a question.
The supporting cast around Wade also relies on big men down low and another guard to dish the ball around the floor. Sophomore guard Travis Diener is Marquette's assist king, averaging 5.7 assists per game with an astonishing 2.85 to 1 assist-to- turnover ratio on the season.
Senior forward Robert Jackson leads the team in rebounds per game, with roughly eight a contest. Jackson, who stands 6'9' and 255 pounds, also averages 16 points a game. junior forward Scott Merritt, 6'10' and 245 pounds, averages close to seven boards and ten points a game, and 6'7', 215 pound sophomore forward Todd Townsend averages nearly eight boards and three rebounds per contest.
Crean has been able to make Marquette a contender since his arrival on campus three years ago. Last season, he was named Conference USA Coach of the Year and ESPN's College Basketball Head Coach of the Year as his Golden Eagles finished the season 26-7. The only disappointment of the season was their early exit from the NCAA tournament, as they lost in the first round to Tulsa 71-69.
With quality wins this season over Wisconsin and Wake Forest, Marquette has shown their ability to win the big games. However, the big test for this Marquette squad will be the Louisville Cardinals. Marquette is currently a half-game behind No. 2 conference leader Louisville, with the two facing off twice in the next two weeks, the first matchup Saturday in Milwaukee.
Going into that game, Marquette has a 28 game home winning streak in tact and hopes to continue that momentum against Louisville. Louisville is in the midst of their own winning streak which has reached 18 games, with their only loss this season coming at Purdue Nov. 30.
If Marquette can come out of the series against the Cardinals with a split, it would be a huge boost for the Golden Eagles going into the NCAA tournament. Even if they do not win the C-USA title this season, Wade and company should be able to go deep into the NCAA tournament and surprise a few teams with such momentum behind them.
As long as Wade continues to soar high as a Golden Eagle, Marquette will be a tough team to beat.
