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NCAA Basketball: Buy or sell WTE consensus top-10 teams for 2023-24 season?

By Tristan Freeman

Michigan State Spartans' A.J. Hoggard (11) Mady Sissoko (22), Tyson Walker (2) and forward Malik Hall (25) during the 69-60 win over Marquette in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Columbus, Ohio, March 19, 2023.Msumarq 031923 Kd6623 MSU huddle
Michigan State Spartans' A.J. Hoggard (11) Mady Sissoko (22), Tyson Walker (2) and forward Malik Hall (25) during the 69-60 win over Marquette in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Columbus, Ohio, March 19, 2023.Msumarq 031923 Kd6623 MSU huddle /
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NCAA Basketball Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
NCAA Basketball Marquette Golden Eagles guard Kam Jones Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Marquette Golden Eagles – Buy

While UConn ended up being the best team in all of NCAA Basketball when it was all said and done, Marquette won both the regular-season and Big East Tournament en route to a 29-win season and breakthrough campaign for Coach Shaka Smart. And for most of the offseason, they were set to bring back its entire rotation from last year.

Unfortunately for the team, forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper ended up being too good in the NBA Draft process. The 6’8 starter was a standout in the Combine and had the two-way tools too good for teams to pass up. He stayed in the draft, taking his 12.5 ppg and 4.7 rpg of production.

Make no mistake, it’s a tough blow for the program since you can’t replace everything he does on both ends of the court. But the good news for the Golden Eagles is that they have a quality replacement already available. David Joplin is a 6’9 forward and the reigning Big East 6th Man of the Year, averaging nearly double figures off the bench. His shooting ability will make this already impressive offense even tougher to defend.

Marquette also has back the Big East Player of the Year, Tyler Kolek along with the team’s leading scorer, Kameron Jones. They had a disappointing Round of 32 exit to Michigan State but there’s nothing shameful in losing to Coach Tom Izzo in March. But next postseason, look for the Golden Eagles to be much harder to take out.

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