Coach Shaka Smart said he was happy with his Marquette team, which looks new but also experienced before the season opener of No. 18 for the Golden Eagles on Monday against Stony Brook in Milwaukee.
“A big part of that (change) is making our guys better,” Smart said at last week’s Big East news day. “Taking guys that have played backup roles for Tyler Kolek and (Oso) Ighodaro and helping them develop into guys that can play big roles this year.”
Smart enters his fourth season at Marquette having compiled a 75-30 record. The team just got out of the Sweet 16 for the first time in 11 seasons, finishing 27-10 (14-6 Big East). Marquette’s senior season saw a second straight trip to the Big East championship game, losing to eventual national champion UConn, 73-57.
Turning the page, Marquette returns important pieces.
These include senior guard Kam Jones, who was named to the preseason All-Big East first team, and fellow senior guard Stevie Mitchell. Jones helped guide the Golden Eagles’ offense, which averaged 17.2 points per game.
Smart said he wants to see Jones take the next step to becoming an NBA-caliber player.
“I’m going to give you something that nobody really knows (about Jones), okay,” Smart said. “He’s a better passer than you think. So, you’re going to see a strong playmaker this year in Kam Jones.
“He got a little bit when Tyler (Kolek) was out last year. Remember, he missed six games in the conference tournament and the regular season before that. (Jones) had 30 points and nine assists against Xavier in our last game of the regular season, and that kind of gave the sense that , ‘This guy can score and distribute at the same time.’
Meanwhile, despite not being in the paint as a leading scorer, Mitchell has contributed significant minutes in every game over the past two seasons. This includes a 76.6 percent free throw percentage while shooting over 50 percent from the field last year.
Stony Brook is coming off a 20-15 season (10-8 Coastal Athletic Association), failing to secure an NCAA Tournament bid after an 82-79 overtime loss to top-seeded Charleston in March in the CAA tournament. In the preseason, the conference coaches predicted that Stony Brook would finish ninth in the 14-team CAA.
Heading into the season opener, Stony Brook brings a wealth of experience. Eight senior players make up the deep roster under coach Geno Ford, who is entering his sixth season.
Last year, now senior guard Andre Snoddy was a bright spot for the offense. His best statistical game saw him score 17 points on 8-of-19 shooting and grab 11 rebounds in an 80-74 loss to Hofstra on Jan. 22.
The game is part of the Marquette Challenge multi-team event, which brings together George Mason and Central Michigan to match the Golden Eagles’ first three opponents.
–Field Level Media
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