Big East Basketball: Way-too-early conference power rankings for 2020-21

7. Marquette Golden Eagles

2019-20: 18-12 (8-10), t-6th in Big East
Key Departures: G Markus Howard, G Sacar Anim, C Jayce Johnson
Incoming Freshmen: F Dawson Garcia, F Justin Lewis, F Oso Ighodaro, G Dexter Akanno (RS)
Incoming Transfers: DJ Carton (Ohio State – sit-out)

Headline: Markus Howard was the center of Marquette’s universe – can the Golden Eagles survive without him?

Star Watch: Dawson Garcia
Who makes The Leap: Brendan Bailey
X-Factor: Koby McEwen

Death. Taxes. Marquette collapsing to end the season. Jon Rothstein might need to update his Rothstein-isms to reflect as such.

Marquette again enters the offseason clouded with questions after finishing the season on a 1-6 skid for the second straight year, only now Steve Wojciechowski is forced to find the answers without the help of superstar Markus Howard. MU has recovered somewhat by landing Ohio State transfer DJ Carton, who seemingly has a decent case to receive immediate eligibility via waiver or NCAA rule change.

If Carton is on the court right away, Marquette’s 2020-21 prognostication leaps from a back-end Big East squad to middle-of-the-pack bubble team (quite the glorious leap, I know). He brings a needed mix of scoring, playmaking, and defense to the Golden Eagles’ otherwise shaky backcourt.

If he is deemed ineligible, though, MU will be relying heavily on big leaps from McEwen, Elliott, and Symir Torrence. Elliott has shown flashes, but asking him to make the jump from 19 mpg to offensive fulcrum is likely a bridge too far. McEwen has, at times, looked like the 15-ppg scorer he was at Utah State, but on the whole, he was largely inefficient and turnover-prone as a junior, particularly down the stretch. Marquette needs McEwen to find himself as a defensive menace who hunts drive-and-kick opportunities on offense. There is certainly a world where McEwen is a plus for a decent Marquette squad, though he must simplify his game to do so.

Bailey, a rising junior, did surprisingly enter the NBA Draft process, but he should be back on campus barring a major shift. Bailey started all 30 games for MU last season and has shown some 3-and-D potential in his first two seasons. The Golden Eagles will need him to be much more active and assertive; multiple goose-eggs in Big East play is not going to cut it as an upperclassman.

Marquette does have three notable freshmen entering the fray, highlighted by the five-star forward Garcia. The 6-foot-11 McDonald’s All-American possesses a versatile skill set, similar to the type of game Henry Ellenson displayed during his lone season in Milwaukee. Expecting Garcia to crack the all-Big East first team à la Ellenson is unfair, but the Minnesota native should be an impact player from day one for Marquette.

While St. John’s presents more boom or bust potential, this MU team has a higher floor and a lower ceiling. Four- and five-star players are dotting the roster, so the talent to field a competitive team is there. But the litany of question marks surrounding every piece of the program caps Marquette’s upside, particularly if Carton is not on the court.