Don't underestimate Marquette

When Tom Crean left Marquette in 2008 to take the head coaching job at Indiana, the Golden Eagles surprised some observers by turning to then-assistant coach Buzz Williams. In his three full seasons at the helm, however, Williams has consistently made his bosses look smart. Marquette has made six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and the early indications suggest this season's 8-0 team may be the best since a certain rather prominent member of the Miami Heat led the program to the 2003 Final Four.

So much for the good news; now for the fine print. I said "early" indications. Take all the usual "it's only December" caveats and multiply them by two. We still have precious few data points on Marquette, and frankly one of the ones we do have -- a two-point win over Norfolk State in the Virgin Islands right before Thanksgiving -- isn't terribly complimentary. That being said, I think Williams' team merits your attention -- even if it, like every other team, can suffer an occasional off night. Here's why ...

To see why Marquette could threaten Syracuse, Pitt and Louisville for the Big East crown, sign up for ESPN Insider.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Email
• Subscribe

John Gasaway

ESPN Insider

• Archive

• ESPN Insider college basketball contributor
• First began covering college hoops in 2004
• Has written for Basketball Prospectus and the Wall Street Journal