Tag: Marquette Golden Eagles

Markus Howard: ‘I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll be successful’

Marquette Golden Eagles star guard Markus Howard was the overall leading scorer in college basketball last season. Now, he looks to the NBA.

Marquette Golden Eagles star guard Markus Howard was the overall leading scorer in college basketball last season. Now, he looks to the NBA.

Howard is the next in the lineage of Marquette greats to enter the pros, following the likes of Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder and Wesley Matthews. The guard played his entire senior campaign at 20 years old, so even though he had four years of experience in the NCAA, he still has plenty of time to develop.

He spoke to USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire about getting better because he played with his older brothers, why he started Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at Marquette — and plenty more.

Please note this interview was very minorly edited for brevity and clarity.

I imagine you’re getting a lot of NBA interest right now, a lot of NBA interviews. What’s the one thing you really want them to know about you? 

MH: I want them to know the type of person I am and what I bring to the table. I think my basketball talent speaks for itself. I think the four years I had, in terms of productivity and continually getting better each year, I do that better than anybody else in this draft class. If they really do their homework, they will see that. But at the end of the day, it’s about a team having the right fit with you and having the right connection. I think the things that I did in college can translate to the NBA. I’m really hoping that teams see that as well. I think that I’ll have success at the next level based on the type of player I am and what I bring to the table. I’m hoping that teams feel the same way about me and have belief in me and have trust in me and in my abilities.

When you look back at your time at Marquette, what are some of the things that you’re going to remember, that you’ll think about right away?

Markus Howard: There are a lot of things I’ll think about. I look back on my time with the people I was around, the people I had the opportunity to come in contact with and the relationships I’ve built over time. I think about the growth I’ve had over four years being in a place like Marquette. On the basketball side of things, it was tremendous and it was a great experience. But I take the full experience of being a college student-athlete into account. The people that I was around every day, who helped mold me and shaped me into the person and player I am today, had a big part of why I chose to go to Marquette. I think back to the people who, along the way, have helped me and who have been like family to me. Those are the things I think about when I look back at my time.

You’re still pretty young, playing your entire senior year at just 20 years old. That means you had to start college when you very young. What was that like, starting college when you did?

© Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

MH: My experience of going to college was very unique because I was extremely young. I was 17 years old during my entire freshman year. I graduated high school a year early and went right to college. It was definitely a transition. I went through it on my own and had to figure out a lot of things on my own. I think my freshman year, that was the biggest growth I had. I had to experience and deal with so much at the time. I was in a new role in a transition going from high school to college. It was definitely tough, but I think looking back on it now, those are the times I was most grateful for because I was able to really find myself and find out who I wanted to be as a person in those tough times. My freshman year, really early in my career, was extremely hard. But it helped shape me so I’m always grateful for that.

Because you are younger than other seniors, I’m curious about some ways you think you might still be able to add things to your game.

MH: I think for me personally, in my game, I’m far from a finished product. I think my best basketball is still ahead of me. Basketball is a game that’s always evolving. I can always learn and get better. I’m nowhere near where I’m going to be down the road. That’s something that’s exciting for me as a player and something that I’m looking forward to, just getting better at the next level, being around high-level talent each and every day. I know when I’m surrounded by an atmosphere that requires a high level of intensity, attention to detail, and skill, that’s when the best things of my game will be shown. That’s just something I’m looking forward to at the next level. All aspects of the game, I can continue to get better at, so those are areas that I’m going to focus on at the next level.

I would love to hear a little bit about your comfort in the pick and roll as you head into your professional career.

MH: Being my size, pick and roll was extremely huge for me and our team. I’ve gotten better at each and every year. I know that at the next level, PnR is going to be used a lot. So having that in my toolbox and already in the back of my mind is something that I know will benefit me. I also think that playing with the great upgrade of talent around me will lift my game to the next level. Just to be able to have different options to create off a ball screen, and with the space that the game offers at the next level, that is something that I’ll really be looking forward to. There were times when I would have three or four guys, maybe even the whole team, keyed in on me. So to be able to be in a role where I probably won’t be the number one option on a team’s defensive scout will make it easier for me to work within a ball screen situation. I’m looking forward to attacking and being able to play with guys around me who will help the best of my game be shown.

I know you’re very efficient in transition as well. The NBA is going to be a lot faster. How do you think you’ll do in a more fast-paced offense?

MH: That’s the way I like to play offensively. I like to play fast. I like to play up-tempo, which is the trend the league is going in as well. It’s all going to be about being in the right situation. I thrive in transition, being able to shoot from far distances. I use my speed and acceleration. I think it’s going to all be about me in the right fit, the right system, adjusting to that speed of the NBA. I know when those things come together, I’ll be very successful. I definitely think I thrive in transition.

Even though you had one of the highest usage rates in college basketball, you were fantastic shooting off the catch as well. If you play more off-ball in the beginning of your career, how will you be able to make an impact?

MH: A lot of what I was able to do over my four years at Marquette was based on the role that my coach needed from me. When I started my college career, I was more of a role player. I was a guy that could create off the dribble, but primarily, I was a catch and shoot threat. I took a lot of pride in that. Whatever the coach needed me to do, I was going to do that to the best of my ability. I think whatever role I’m placed in, I’m going to attack it head-on and try to give it my best effort. I’m able to play on the ball or off the ball. I’ve had experience in both. That’s what makes me unique as a player. I’m very multifaceted. I’m not subject to one position. The way that the NBA is going now, smaller guards are making a big impact. I think that’s something that can be really unique and eye-opening to teams. I can do a lot of different things, even without having the ball in my hands. I can work off the ball. It could definitely be something that a team could use in the right way.

I thought you were especially incredible when shooting from dribble handoffs. What are some other ways you can be used off the ball?

MH: Being around veteran knowledge, especially bigs who have been established in the league, I can learn from the different coverages defensively as well as how they work within pick-and-roll sets. Being able to be around NBA bigs, I can start to read them on the fly. They can read me on the fly. I know the attention to detail that those individuals have is next-level. That is something I’m really looking forward to being a part of in the NBA. It is very important for every guard to have a great relationship with a big.

How would you describe your playmaking ability?

MH: A lot of what I did offensively was overshadowed by the scoring I did. I’m a very underrated passer and creator for others. I think there are a lot of times, especially throughout my career, where I made great plays not only for myself but for others. That can get overshadowed with the high scoring numbers. I know at the next level, with my role being limited, I’m prepared to be a playmaker. I know that with the opportunities I’ll be given, I’ll need to use those to the best of my abilities to be sure I’m making the right play whether that is for myself or for others. I feel very confident in the fact with the way I’m able to get into the teeth of the defense, create off the dribble, be able to create for guys. I feel very confident in the ability I have, as well as being able to play with high-level talent in the NBA. It’s going to bring out the best of my gam. I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll be successful at being able to create not only for myself but for others at the next level.

What are some ways you think you’re able to overcome your height to be so effective?

MH: It’s just me not being afraid of anything. As a basketball player, I’m extremely confident in my abilities and how hard I work. When you have that, you shouldn’t really fear anything. It doesn’t matter my size. You continue to fight, continue to compete. That’s something I pride myself on and that’s always been a key part of the success I’ve had. I am just able to compete, no matter who it’s against.

You’re one of the most impressive scoring guards we have seen in college. How did you become such an elite finisher? 

MH: A lot of it has to do with being the youngest of three boys. I have two older brothers, they are three and five years older than I am. I’ve been playing with them since I was young. I always had to fight for everything. I always played with them, too, I never played my age group when I played travel and AAU and things like that. So, playing against older competition from the time I was young, I played three and five years up. Just to have that from a young age, I was always advanced and I always excelled. It’s because I had to keep up. That was always something that as a player I could use to my advantage. I kept going higher in the ranks and going from high school to college, it was kind of the same thing. Playing at a high level, playing against players that really challenged me, that’s something that I’ve taken to my advantage ever since I was younger. Playing against and competing with my brothers on a daily basis, that lit a fire in me as a competitor. That’s just something that I use from a mindset standpoint every time I step on the court. A lot of that stems from having two older brothers and always having to fight for everything in my household.

Do you think that helped you become such a good one-on-one scorer in isolation as well?

MH: I tried to be as creative as I could in a tight space. That’s something we would always lock in and focus on. Our backyard, growing up, wasn’t always the biggest. We didn’t have a lot of space like a normal court. You had to make the most with the most room you had. So I was always trying to be as creative as I could to try and get my shot off or try to create space. That’s something that I really value. Especially with my size, I had to make sure that was a big point of emphasis in my game, trying to be able to create with the abilities that I have. That’s something I attribute to when I was younger, always playing against my brothers, doing a little extra just because they were bigger and stronger and faster than I am. I had to make up for that.

How do you think that experience will help shape you as a younger NBA player coming into the league, playing against bigger and older players right away?

MH: It’s a mindset. I’ve always had the mindset I’ve had, from when I was a freshman until when I was a senior, even when I was one of the best players in the country. I still had that mindset. Each contest, I went out to compete. It didn’t matter who I was going up against, what team, what player, division. In my mind, I was always going against my brothers because those were the toughest battles that I ever faced growing up. Those are the kind of battles that always tested me and helped me grow as a player and as a person, going against them. I’m just going to use that mentality every time I sit on the court. Even at the next level, it doesn’t matter who it’s up against, I’m always going to have that mindset and that competitive fire that I’ve had ever since I was a young kid.

What is it like when you play basketball against your brothers now?

MH: It’s a lot of the same: very competitive, very high intensity. But it’s different because they can’t bully me like they used to be able to do. They like to think that they can, but they just can’t anymore. That’s always fun. There are no two people that can make me better than my older brothers. I love to compete and those two bring out the best in me and in my game. I’m very fortunate to have two older brothers to be able to play basketball with and against. The competitions we have to this day are always fun and really intense. I love it.

I love hearing it! What are some of the roles that you can see yourself having in the NBA? 

MH: There is only so much I can control. It is really about a team and a coach believing in me and trusting in my abilities. I think whatever a team or coach needs me to do, I’m going to do that to the best of my ability, whether that is having a starring role or whether that is being a scorer off the bench or if that is just being a great locker room guy. Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m going to try to do that to the best of my ability. I know that being in the NBA is a privilege. It is an honor. I’m going to embrace this every day, having this as my job is definitely something that I want.

Are there any player comparisons that you have heard for yourself that you like?

MH: Some I’ve heard are guys like Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, Patty Mills, Fred Van Vleet, DJ Augustin. Those are all guys that I’ve watched and who I continue to watch and pattern my game after. Those are some guys who are similar to me and my skill set. Those are the guys I watch the most around the NBA.

When you got your degree from Marquette, what did you end up studying?

MH: I studied digital media and I minored in advertising. I worked with cameras here and there. I liked working in a TV studio broadcasting environment. Down the road, sports broadcasting could be something that I would like to do. I’ve learned a lot about the advertising and marketing side of things, too. Especially in sports, that is very important. I try to use the things I learned in school now that I’m a professional. I try to entangle those things in my daily life. I’m extremely fortunate and grateful to have had a great four years academically and educationally at Marquette. I was able to learn from a lot of great people. Hopefully, I can use those in my professional career as well.

What advice would you give to DJ Carton and other players that are entering the Marquette program next year?

© Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

MH: I’ve told them on countless occasions, and I would continue to tell them, that they made the right decision. Be more than a basketball player. Enjoy the entire experience of being a student-athlete at Marquette. It is truly a special place. Be more than the game. I have such deep ties to and such an appreciation for Marquette. I did a good job of making it more than just about basketball. I think, being at a place like Marquette, it’s really like family because of the people around it. I embrace those relationships every day because it’s truly a special place. It’s one that I’ll cherish for as long as I live because of everything that it’s given me and everything it’s provided me. Those are all things I can take with me for the rest of my life. Those are all things I’ve said to them before and what I would say to them even if they were here right now with me.

I love that advice. What are some other things that you were involved with on campus at Marquette?

MH: I was definitely very active on campus in different student-athlete groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). I was also on a student athletic advisory committee. I was on that committee for about two years. And then any kind of campus outreach I could do. I tried to always be active in terms of community service and just trying to be sure I was getting out in the community. I didn’t want to be the stigma of a basketball player. I just played basketball went to school, and that was it. I tried to immerse myself as much as I could into the Marquette community, and it’s something I’m very proud of.

I also want to touch base with you a little bit about your high school experience going to Findlay Prep. You have a lot of teammates either currently in the NBA or will be in the NBA hopefully, soon, including several guys in this class. How did that experience help shape you to become such an elite competitor?

Findlay College Prep's Markus Howard #0 in action against Athlete Institute during a high school basketball game in the Hoophall Classic at Springfield College on Saturday, January 16, 2016 in Springfield, MA.
(AP Photo/Gregory Payan)

MH: It was a great experience being at Findlay and being around guys like PJ Washington and Oshae Brissett and Skylar Mays and Lamine Diane every day in practice. I got to practice against so many guys that would go on to play in the NBA. As a competitor, I enjoyed that. I loved it. We had such a competitive spirit each and every day in practice. That is what made me want to go there. It prepared me for going to college, being able to be at that intensity each and every day against high-level players. It was definitely a big part of my development, my growth, and I was happy to be able to do it.

What are some of the things that you like to do now when you’re not playing basketball? 

MH: I like spending time with my family, resting, recovering, watching movies, playing cards. I’m pretty laid back, even if we weren’t in this quarantine, I’d be doing the same things besides training. I’m hanging out, laying low. I just like to spend time with my family. That is pretty much how I’ve always been.

Do you have any goals for yourself either on or off the basketball court?

MH: For both, continue to get better and grow. I think in anything, especially in life, that’s all you can aspire to do is to grow, to get better. It can translate to basketball. That’s something that I think if I take that step each day, I’ll continue to get better, continue to grow. It could only lead to success. That’s all I focus on each and every day.

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D.J. Carton receives waiver from NCAA, immediately eligible at Marquette

Former Ohio State guard D.J. Carton has received a waiver from the NCAA to be immediately eligible at Marquette.

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Former Ohio State guard D.J. Carton has received a waiver from the NCAA to be immediately eligible at Marquette. Carton took some time away from the OSU program to focus on his mental health, then entered the transfer portal and made the decision to transfer after the season ended, eventually landing with the Golden Eagles.

Under current NCAA transfer rules, any undergraduate must sit out a year before being eligible to play unless the player petitions the NCAA for an exception. The process can sometimes be rather lengthy, but in the case of the former high four-star recruit out of Bettendorf, Iowa, it took just a little over two months from the time he transferred to receiving the good news.

After playing most of his freshman year at Ohio State, Carton will have three years remaining at Marquette if he decides to use them all. He averaged 10.4 points, three assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.

The date is set for Wisconsin basketball’s 2020 rivalry matchup with Marquette

The Badgers will take on the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee

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[lawrence-newsletter]The I-94 rivalry is all set for next season. Wisconsin and Marquette will meet for the 127th time, with this edition of the matchup taking place at Marquette on December 5, 2020.

The game is moving back to its usual December time frame after being played in November during the 2019-20 season. The two teams have split the last ten matchups, with Wisconsin winning the most recent battle in Madison this past November. Overall, Wisconsin is 68-58 against Marquette, although on the road the Golden Eagles hold a winning record. The Badgers have faced the Golden Eagles more times than any other non-conference opponent.

The December 5, 2020 date could be a special one for Wisconsin athletics. Not only is the Wisconsin vs. Marquette basketball game now scheduled on that day, but that also happens to be the day of the football Big Ten Championship game. Circle December 5 on your calendars for what could be the biggest day of Wisconsin sports all season long.

Dwyane Wade: UGA basketball coach Tom Crean ‘changed my life’

Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gave Tom Crean, his college coach at Marquette, a shout-out during his jersey retirement.

NBA legend Dwyane Wade played sixteen seasons in the NBA. He primarily played for the Miami Heat, who retired his famous number three jersey last night. Wade helped the Heat win three NBA Championships during his storied career.

Feb 22, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat former player Dwyane Wade speaks during his jersey retirement celebration at American Airlines Arena. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Before Dwyane Wade began his legendary career, he had humble beginnings in college. Wade wasn’t academically eligible during his first season at  Marquette University under current Georgia Bulldogs basketball coach Tom Crean. Wade built a tight relationship with Tom Crean that went beyond basketball. In fact, Wade claims Crean ‘changed my life’ for the better.

The rest is history. Once Wade became eligible at Marquette, he took the Golden Eagles to a 26-7 season as a sophomore, then to a final four appearance as a junior. Wade lived up to the hype after being the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Tom Crean is doing his best to make a similar impact on the lives of his players at UGA. Anthony Edwards may be Crean’s most talented player since Wade.

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Creighton Bluejays at Marquette Golden Eagles college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Creighton Bluejays at Marquette Golden Eagles sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.

The Creighton Bluejays (20-6, 9-4) play the Big East Division rival Marquette Golden Eagles (17-7, 7-5) for the second time this season. The game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. We analyze the Creighton-Marquette odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Creighton at Marquette: Three things you need to know

  1. Each team has exceeded bookmakers’ expectations recently:  Creighton has covered six of its last seven games and Marquette has covered seven of its last eight.
  2. Creighton upset Marquette in their first matchup this season, 92-75. The three starting guards in Creighton’s lineup outscored Marquette’s three-headed starting guard attack, 61-36, to key the victory.
  3. Marquette senior guard Markus Howard is leading the Big East in points per game (a nation-leading 27.3) for the second consecutive season. Howard scored a career-high 53 points last season at Creighton.

Get some action on this college basketball matchup or others by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions.

Creighton at Marquette: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 5:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Marquette 82, Creighton 76

Moneyline (ML)

The rest and rebounding edge for the Golden Eagles are the reasons I LOVE MARQUETTE -162 here. Marquette’s last game was Feb. 12 at Villanova, which the Golden Eagles lost 72-71; Creighton’s last game was a 93-64 win over DePaul Feb. 15. Since 2017, Marquette is 21-7 straight up when playing with a rest advantage with an 8-point average margin of victory. Marquette has outrebounded Creighton in eight of their last 10 meetings and the Golden Eagles are 17th in the nation in rebounds per game going against Bluejays team that is 276th in opponent’s rebounds per game. In fact, Creighton is minus-1 in rebound-per-game differential while Marquette is at plus-4.

New to sports betting? A $100 wager on Marquette to win would return a profit of $61.73.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Personally, I’m going to bet the Marquette -3 (-110) but officially I recommend PASSING THE AGAINST THE SPREAD bet and sticking with our moneyline play. Here are some Marquette trends to defend both bets:

  • Marquette has the best ATS winning percentage against Big East teams this season, and the second-best ATS record (behind Villanova) against Big East teams since 2017.
  • The Golden Eagles are 7-0 ATS when laying anywhere from 1-4.5 points and Creighton is 3-4 ATS when getting 1-4.5 points.
  • Marquette is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games versus a team with a winning straight up record.

Over/Under (O/U)

I LEAN OVER 156.5 (-110) because the Over has cashed in six of the last seven Creighton-Marquette games and the Over is 6-1 in Golden Eagles last seven games versus a team with a winning straight up record. It’s only a lean though because the Under has cashed in the last three Marquette games and these two teams’ combined Over/Under records in games against ranked opponents is 3-7. 

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Marquette lands 2020 five-star Minnesota prospect Dawson Garcia

Marquette has added the crown jewel to its critical 2020 men’s basketball recruiting class in 6-foot-11 Minnesota native Dawson Garcia.

Marquette has added the crown jewel to its critical 2020 men’s basketball recruiting class.

Dawson Garcia, a 6-foot-11 forward from Prior Lake, Minnesota, committed to the Golden Eagles and signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday, the last day of the fall signing period.

Garcia is rated the No. 31 prospect in the 2020 class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. Garcia also had been considering Indiana, Minnesota and Memphis.

MU head coach Steve Wojciechowski has three commitments for next season’s team. Garcia joins 6-7 forward Justin Lewis from Baltimore and 6-9 forward Oso Ighodaro from Chandler, Arizona. That class is ranked seventh in the national and No. 1 in the Big East by 247 Sports.

The trio will likely form a versatile and interchangeable frontcourt for the Golden Eagles. Garcia projects to be an inside-out scorer, Lewis a physical rebounder and Ighodaro a ball-handler and slasher. All three have long wingspans and are switchable on defense at all the big positions.

The class is crucial for MU’s future with all-time leading scorer Markus Howard, Sacar Anim, Ed Morrow Jr. and Jayce Johnson leaving after this season.

Garcia is the latest talented player MU has recruited from Minnesota. Golden Eagles senior forward Anim (DeLaSalle High School) and junior center Theo John (Champlin Park) also hail from the Minneapolis area. Two of Garcia’s AAU teammates with D1 Minnesota, Steven Crowl and Ben Carlson, are committed to the University of Wisconsin’s 2020 class.

Wojciechowski and his coaching staff recruited Garcia hard, offering him a scholarship in June 2018. Wojciechowski and associate head coach Stan Johnson made many trips last winter to watch Garcia’s games at Prior Lake High School.

“Dawson is one of the top players in the United States,” Wojciechowski said in a statement. “He’s a position-less player with great versatility and competitiveness and can be one of the top players throughout his time at Marquette.”

Garcia took an official visit to MU last February, watching from the stands at Fiserv Forum as the Golden Eagles beat Villanova, 66-65. He took a second official visit earlier this month.

Wisconsin affirmed its identity vs Marquette by tending to details

More thoughts on the Wisconsin Badgers’ victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles.

The Wisconsin Badgers have a well-developed identity. Everyone who follows Wisconsin hoops knows that identity was powerfully affirmed on Sunday in a decisive win over the Marquette Golden Eagles. A timely reminder about affirming a positive identity is that it never happens without performing “detail work,” the intense and relentless process of paying attention to every aspect of competition.

Wisconsin’s awareness of what it needed to do — and how it needed to do it — was constant against Marquette. Everyone on the roster was vigilant and clearheaded. If you had to pick a star of the game, it was Brevin Pritzl, but the biggest takeaway from the win is that it was a group effort.

One could pick several non-Pritzl players who created this victory over Marquette. All such selections would be reasonable and illustrative of what the Badgers achieved against the Golden Eagles. I will choose Aleem Ford, who made his presence felt at both ends of the floor. His “detail work” paid off in numerous ways which separated Wisconsin from Marquette.

One of the things I saw when watching this game was that Marquette players, on dribble drives or post feeds, pushed their bounce passes with one hand. To be sure, great point guards know how to use a one-handed push pass, but those passes are more often in the air than bounce passes. Marquette’s attempts at one-handed passes were often bounce passes, and Wisconsin was able to get its hands on a number of those passes, either for steals or deflections.

In contrast to Marquette’s one-handed bounce passes, Ford used a two-handed bounce pass on a number of occasions. He fed Brad Davison with a two-handed bounce pass to create a layup late in the first half. Little details such as that enabled more Wisconsin possessions to end in made baskets, whereas the Golden Eagles didn’t exhibit the same precision. It mattered.

Ford also displayed attentiveness and sound positioning on defense, as shown in this play:

The crispness of a pass, the value of occupying a specific spot on the floor, the ability to maintain structure in help defense — these are the small details which, when observed, win games. When ignored, they lose games. Wisconsin tended to these details just as surely and clearly as Marquette failed in the same task.

We talked earlier in the season about college basketball players failing to exhibit good habits. Wisconsin’s final possession in regulation against Saint Mary’s was one of those bad habits. The important thing was for the Badgers to grow from that experience and demonstrate more vigilance. They certainly did that against Marquette. Let’s see if Wisconsin can sustain that identity in the coming weeks, heading into Big Ten play.

Wisconsin knocked out Marquette in 100 seconds

Recalling the specific sequence in which the Wisconsin Badgers pulled away from the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Technically, a college basketball game encompasses 40 minutes of scoreboard clock time. Converted into seconds, a college basketball game lasts 2,400 seconds of scoreboard time. On Sunday in Madison, the Wisconsin Badgers needed only 100 of those 2,400 seconds to deck the Marquette Golden Eagles and secure a coveted victory in this in-state rivalry.

Wisconsin played well throughout this game, but if a particular sliver of Sunday’s showdown stood out, it was the pocket of one minute and 40 seconds — 100 seconds — which followed the under-eight-minute TV timeout in the second half. With 7:52 left, Wisconsin led 58-51, possessing a small working margin but nothing which could be considered comfortable — not with Marquette’s Markus Howard being capable of a massive scoring binge at any moment. Wisconsin had a lot of work to do to send Marquette to the canvas. It seemed as though the game was going to go down to the final few minutes.

That changed in the next 100 seconds. Brad Davison hit a 3-pointer. Nate Reuvers came up with a steal. D’Mitrik Trice hit a three. The defense forced a turnover by Marquette’s Theo John. Brevin Pritzl hit a three off an unselfish assist pass from Kobe King. With 6:12 left, Wisconsin led 67-51, and that was that. No late drama. No last-minute intrigue. Wisconsin scored a knockout before the final media timeout of the afternoon.

The beauty of these 100 seconds lay in the fact that every play involved a different Wisconsin player: Davison. Then Reuvers. Then Trice. Then Pritzl and King. While Howard tried to play Hero-Ball at times, and shot 6 for 21 in the process, Wisconsin kept spreading the wealth and sharing responsibilities at both ends of the floor. It was beautiful. It was necessary, with Micah Potter out. It was the best of Wisconsin basketball, the heart of this program’s identity in the 21st century, dating back to Dick Bennett’s Final Four trip in the year 2000.

The number 100 is a nice, round number. That round number in the realm of roundball referred to the amount of seconds Wisconsin needed to turn a typically tough and tense tussle against a rival into a runaway. The Badgers hope to replicate that 100-second sequence many times over this season. If they do, look out, Big Ten. You never know where or when these Badgers will strike. Everyone got involved in the best 100 seconds of a satisfying Sunday for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin needed balance and delivered it against Marquette

Reaction to the Wisconsin Badgers’ balanced scoring in their victory over the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Wisconsin Badgers, the Marquette Golden Eagles probably thought they had the best player on the floor: Markus Howard. That was not a wildly irresponsible thought to have. Howard is a luminously skilled player and a legitimate star player in the larger world of college basketball.

Marquette was counting on Howard to be the best player on the floor in this game. The Golden Eagles and Steve Wojciechowski needed Howard to rise above everyone else in the Kohl Center and bring this game home. Howard was the “Wojo Mojo” Marquette hoped for.

Instead, Brevin Pritzl stole the show. Coming off the bench, Pritzl stuffed the stat sheet not only with 15 points, but with efficient shooting (4 of 6 from the field, 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, 4 of 4 at the foul line) and 13 rebounds, six on the offensive backboard. It is true that Howard was not the best player on the floor; Pritzl was. Yet, suggesting that a player-versus-player comparison — or a “best on the floor” designation — made the difference in Sunday’s game is a detour from the most important truth: This contest wasn’t centrally won by Pritzl, though he surely gave Wisconsin a difference-making effort; the Badgers’ biggest weapon against the Golden Eagles was their balance.

This is how it always needed to be for Greg Gard. Without Micah Potter, Wisconsin needed all hands on deck. It needed a stifling halfcourt defense to hold Howard to 6-of-21 shooting from the field. It needed all five starters to hit a 3-point shot. It needed all five starters to grab at least one rebound. It needed four of five starters to hand out at least one assist. It needed six different Badgers to score in double figures.

If Gard had a template for this game, he could not have hoped for a better outcome. This is exactly what 2019-2020 Wisconsin basketball has to be, certainly as long as Potter is unfairly prevented from playing. Sure, Wisconsin hoops took the next step when it cultivated takeover players such as Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker. Having elite crunch-time scorers will take a program to the next level. That said, Wisconsin faced a critical early-season test and not only passed it with flying colors; the Badgers aced this test exactly the way they needed to.

The act of winning was huge under any circumstance and regardless of details; the way in which Wisconsin won is just as important as the win itself, if not more so. Supreme balance — with high-quality performances from six different players plus capable defense from other members of the rotation — defined this victory over Marquette. It will need to continue to define the basketball Badgers as long as Micah Potter can’t take the court.

Wisconsin-Marquette, in 2019, is extra personal for both sides

The meeting between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Marquette Golden Eagles is very personal, for two clear reasons.

Sunday’s game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Marquette Golden Eagles at the Kohl Center in Madison will be fierce and intense, just as every game is between Wisconsin and Marquette. The two schools always pour their emotions into this game. It always matters. It always stirs the soul.

This year, though, the battle between the Badgers and the Golden Eagles will be even more personal than it normally is. Really, you might be asking? What could be the reason to make a statement like that? The answer to the question is deceptively simple. There are two reasons why UW-Marquette packs more of a punch in 2019. Those reasons are named Joey Hauser and Sam Hauser.

Makes sense, right? Joey and Sam Hauser played for Marquette last season. Now they don’t. Joey transferred to Michigan State, Sam to Virginia. Those two schools are not Wisconsin. We are left with the simple reality that the Hauser brothers didn’t initially go to Wisconsin, and didn’t transfer there. They also, however, left Marquette and didn’t think it was worth it to stick with Steve Wojciechowski. Both schools have been stung by the rejection of the Hauser brothers.

To be clear, what young athletes choose to do with their careers is not a manifestation or reflection of morality or ethics. Playing at one school is not a more noble (or impoverished) decision than playing at another. A transfer is not an act of betrayal. None of this has anything to do with the character of a person, and should not be seen as a direct or implied criticism of the Hausers (or any other athletes who transfer). I am merely noting that in 2019, Marquette and Wisconsin are both taking the court without a Hauser brother in either program. The two brothers from Stevens Point, Wis., will not be found in Madison on Sunday.

You know Marquette wants to prove it can beat Wisconsin for a million different reasons, but winning without the Hausers is certainly one of the more prominent ones. You know Wisconsin wants to pounce on Marquette, early in the season, to make a statement about the balance of college basketball power in this state.

It is sometimes the case that the absence of a person — or two persons — from a building is noticed more than the presence of any other individuals. Wisconsin will feel the absence of Micah Potter from this game, but other than Potter, are two people going to be noticed more by their absence from Sunday’s contest than Sam and Joey Hauser? Those brothers, no longer playing college basketball in the state of Wisconsin, will definitely be noticed on Sunday. The next question: Which school will lament that absence more when Sunday’s game is over?