Lets take an in depth look and comparing last years team and the present. What has Marquette been famously known for, great guard play. Do people like Dwayne Wade, Travis Diener, Jerel Mcneal, Dominic James spark your memory. This year Jerel Mcneal, Dominic James, Wesley Mathews have been for the most part the offensive charge along with Lazar Hayward, leading the Golden Eagles to a 20-2 record. Whats so familiar is that Mcneal, James, and Wesley Mathews the guard tandem are all seniors so they should have shown up as real contenders in the NCAA tournament in the past, right? Well do two first round exits and a second round departure from the Big Dance impress you enough? Well it shouldn't and this years team shouldn't make you think of an impressive run in March either. Marquette's issue for the past few years has been their lack of size. What is more scary of this years team is their lack of depth. Last year Marquette accomplished winning in the first round, something that the three now senior guards hadn't seen yet while their. What's different with last years team was that 76% of their scoring came from the starters but also their tallest player was Ousmane Barro, listed at 6-10. This year 86% of their scoring is coming from the starters, an astronomical number minus big man Ousmane Barro, now giving Marquette their tallest starter being 6-8 Dwight Burke who may I mention is only averaging 2.7 points a contest. To break it down even more, 64% of Marquette's scoring is coming from their senior guard tandem, something that you cant continue to rely on, especially if one of the guards is to have an off night. Tonight Marquette was exposed of their extreme lack of depth against a previously 6-14 South Florida team, losing 57-56. Throughout the contest, Marquette played a total of 7! players. Their scoring came from their guard tandem, that being 79%. Wesley Mathews accumulated only 11 points of his 19 point average, meaning one of their super guards struggled. This especially is devastating when your other only two guys that you played or have come of the bench gave your team only four points. It doesn't look like their bench will be given a chance to preform any time soon, being that their highest bench player is averaging 4.3 points per game, that being Jimmy Butler.
When filling out your bracket come March, remember to research a little before assuming a team in dominant just because of their hype or record, dig deep for lurking realities because if your once thought contenders can quickly be exposed and burned right out of the Big Dance, leaving your bracket decimated. Be prepared come March and good luck.
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