NCAA Basketball: Kansas State, Providence on the rise on latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
22. Marquette (13-4)
They gave Purdue a close call and have lost a few overtime heartbreakers, but it’s hard to find too much wrong with Marquette’s first two months of ball. Shaka Smart’s rebuild of the Golden Eagles appears to be well on track in his second year, with players like Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek really standing out this season. After a tough double overtime loss to Providence, the Friars have now won their last four games, with two more key wins this week.
On Tuesday, the Golden Eagles headed east, delivering a 96-85 win at St. John’s. It was Olivier-Maxence Prosper with 29 points and 7 rebounds who really stood out in the road win, with Jones adding 16 points as well. Over the weekend, it was an easier effort for Marquette, who got a 95-73 win against a slumping Georgetown team. The Golden Eagles fought back after a very slow start, getting 17 points from Jones and 14 from Oso Ighodaro. Kolek also had 15 assists without a single turnover.
It’s not the deepest league in the world, but 5-1 against this Big East is pretty great at this point. The Golden Eagles know that this is a marathon, not a sprint, but they’ve handled their business pretty well to this point. That offense is among the best in the nation and that 26-point win over Baylor will continue to be impressive all season long. Next week is the real test: a home date with Connecticut and a road trip to Xavier; can the Golden Eagles keep their solid start intact?