Marquette Basketball: 2017-18 season preview for the Golden Eagles
Three Key Questions
1. Who steps up in the frontcourt?
With Luke Fischer’s departure, Marquette has a major void at the center position. Fischer was an interior scoring threat who helped provide balance to Marquette’s three-point centric offense. The Golden Eagles have a few candidates to replace Fisher, but they do not have his experience or proven track record.
Matt Heldt was Fischer’s primary backup last season and while he is not much of a scorer, he provides value with his defense and rebounding. Harry Froling has the most upside, but is not eligible for the first semester and is not a proven player. It will be interesting to see if he is immediately thrust into the lineup mid-season or if he is slowly acclimated.
Lastly, Theo John is the wildcard. As mentioned earlier, John has turned some heads in the preseason. Can he outperform the more experienced bigs and crack the starting five?
If even one of these three players is productive, then Marquette will be in good shape.
2. Can Haanif Cheatham bounce back as a junior?
Cheatham showed great promise as a freshman but regressed as a sophomore. Cheatham lost playing time to newcomers Howard, Rowsey, and Reinhardt and was much less effective on the court. His skill set fits well with Howard and Rowsey and playing all three together should be great for the offense.
For Marquette to reach its full potential, they need Cheatham to regain his previous form and play with more confidence. He should not have to worry about losing his starting role since Johnson, Wilson, and Reinhardt are all gone. Freshman Jamal Cain will be nipping at his heels, but as long as Cheatham plays like he is capable of, he will have a sizeable role.
3. Can Marquette play quality defense with their undersized backcourt?
Marquette struggled defensively last season and one possible cause is the extremely undersized Rowsey-Howard backcourt. This point has been mentioned a few times in the article, but it is worth repeating. Coach Wojo chose to play the two sub-6-foot guards together because he hoped their offensive prowess makes up for their defensive shortcomings.
It will be interesting to see if Wojo staggers their minutes more this season. Howard and Rowsey are so valuable offensively that they need to be on the floor, but if Wojo can find a creative solution to minimize their negative defensive impact, then Marquette could be in line for another tournament bid.
Next: Analyzing the Creighton Lineup
Marquette will have stiff competition in the Big East, but they might be the best offensive team in the conference. If they can answer these questions, then they will be in great shape when March rolls around.