Big East Basketball: Way-too-early 2019-20 preseason Power Rankings

1. Marquette Golden Eagles

Last season: 25-9, 12-6 (five seed NCAA tournament, first round)
Key departures: G Joseph Chartouny (3.0 ppg), C Matt Heldt (0.8 ppg)
Key additions: G Koby McEwen, G Greg Elliott
Recruiting Class (9th): G Dexter Akanno
2019-20 National Projection: 11th
Joker Says: “It’s not about money. It’s about sending a message.“

Marquette’s lofty preseason projection comes with the obvious 5-foot-11-sized caveat that Big East Player of the Year Markus Howard is back on campus in the fall. If Howard does forego potential NBA suitors, Marquette will return over 90 percent of its minutes from this past season, good for fourth among all high-major clubs. Returning minutes is not always a guaranteed indicator of success, but this group made a noticeable jump over the past two years, so it’s reasonable to expect one more mini-leap in 2019-20 as well, especially as the team papers over its biggest hole with legitimate guard depth.

Of course, Steve Wojciechowski’s name has been tossed around in several coaching searches, though it doesn’t appear there has been a legitimate connection between the MU head coach and another program. If Wojo did move elsewhere, not only would Marquette have to find a new sideline general, it would also have to deal with some unexpected roster turnover, either with Howard officially exiting for the pros, recruits decommitting, or underclassmen transferring to other programs.

But if everyone is back, which seems relatively likely at this point, the Golden Eagles’ pitch for 2019-20 is simple. Marquette could roll out the best senior duo in the country, the talented Hauser brothers will be another year removed from their respective surgeries, and Wojciechowski should be able to flip Joseph Chartouny’s league-worst turnover rate into vastly improved backcourt production from transfer Koby McEwen and medical redshirt Greg Elliott.

Even though the senior class – featuring Howard, Sam Hauser, Sacar Anim, and Ed Morrow – is likely approaching its ceiling, the Golden Eagles can still find that next gear with continued developments from Joey Hauser, Theo John, and Brendan Bailey. McEwen averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists for Utah State as a sophomore.

And if the coaching staff put Elliott through the same kind of redshirt regimen that Anim underwent in 2016-17, Marquette could unleash the upgraded version of a player that already showed so much promise as a freshman. Elliott led all first-year guards in block rate on top of his 4.5 points per game in 2017-18.

Marquette has a tenuous hold on the Big East for now, though that could change quickly with one domino tipping the wrong way for the Golden Eagles. Regardless, the Big East will be heard from in 2019-20, with impressive star power at the top and quality depth across all 10 teams setting up a daunting league slate.