NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Ole Miss climbs, North Carolina dips

14. Marquette Golden Eagles

Record: 14-3 (3-1 Big East)

Last Week: No. 17

Marquette entered Big East play as one of the clear favorites but proceeded to drop their opening game on the road to St. John’s by 20 points. This definitely made many people in media (myself included) think twice about the Golden Eagles’ resume but they have quickly gotten back on track with three straight wins.  And while they have played a bunch of close games that have hurt their standing in predictive metrics, this is a team that can close on just about anyone.

With superstar guard Markus Howard leading the way and a strong supporting cast around him, Marquette is an extremely tough team to compete with down the stretch of games. Not only is this an improved defensive unit compared to prior years but they can make a comeback in a hurry or put a team away in just a couple of possessions. That idea is something that cannot be understated, especially when you consider how competitive the Big East is going to be this year from top to bottom.

As many of you may remember from prior to the season, I was quite skeptical of this Marquette team. After two months of action, though, I am definitely a believer that this team can do serious damage on the national stage. (Yes, I am a Wisconsin/Butler fan – I can explain – and that sentence was painful to write.) Head coach Steve Wojciechowski and his staff did a great job revamping their defense this offseason and the team is still performing at a high level offensively.