Sure, it’s only five games into the season, but the Marquette men’s basketball team is in a bad way.
An 89-82 loss on Nov. 15 to Maryland, completely rebuilt in the first season under former MU coach Buzz Williams, is bad on the surface. It’s the first non-conference loss at Fiserv Forum for the Golden Eagles (3-2) under Shaka Smart since Dec. 3, 2022, against Wisconsin.
But dig under MU’s hood and there are a lot of concerning parts that are threatening to derail MU’s season before conference play begins.
Box score | MU schedule
Marquette’s defense struggles vs. undermanned Maryland team
The Terrapins (3-1) came into the game without three injured players, including star guard Myles Rice (ankle), who is averaging 19 points and seven rebounds per game.
Then, Maryland lost arguably its best player in 6-foot-9 banger Pharrel Payne to a scary-looking injury midway through the second half. After the game, Williams did not have an update on Payne, who was stretchered off the court and went to a local hospital after an awkward fall.
The Terrapins were still able to put up a lot of points, led by rugged guard David Coit (19 points).
MU had bounced back from a slow start to take a nine-point lead in the second half. But the game flipped when, a few minutes after the game was delayed by Payne’s injury, Maryland went on a 12-0 run to take a 72-64 lead with 8:14 remaining
That stretch coincided with Chase Ross, MU’s most indispensable player, picking up his third foul and sitting for a stretch.
“With or without him on the floor, we have to defend way better,” Smart said. “Without him on the floor right now we need more presence.
“We need more toughness. We need more leadership. We need more talk. We need to play in a better stance on the defensive end. We need to move the ball more. There’s a lot we need more of.”
Chase Ross’ career game is not enough
Ross had 31 points, besting his previous career high of 27 from last season vs. Georgetown. Ben Gold (18 points) and Zaide Lowery (14) were the only other players in double figures for MU.
“The recipe for us winning is not Chase and Zaide shooting 19 times,” Smart said. “We give up 89 points. That’s not going to be the pathway for us to win. This is a tough way to learn that lesson, but we have to.”
MU shot an unsightly 11 for 24 on layups, with seniors Ross and Gold each missing a handful.
“When you’re lost in the fight and you’re playing with a clear mind, those shots tend to go in,” Smart said. “When you’re not, you tend to miss.
“And the same is true for open threes. Right now, we have some real soul-searching to do from the standpoint of getting the order right. The spirit and energy that we bring to the team and to each other. The cultural way we go about things − act, interact and respond − on the defensive end, then the offensive end.
“And what happened today was offense got affected by guys not having the full commitment that they needed to have to those things that comes first. Obviously it’s my job to fix that and improve that.”
The Golden Eagles also shot 11 for 40 on 3-pointers. MU lost despite pulling down 20 offensive rebounds, its most under Smart.
Development has not happened yet in younger players
Every loss by MU this season will be like a referendum among its fan base about Smart’s lack of adding an impact transfer to the roster in the off-season. That will be especially the case when the Golden Eagles drop games to teams like Indiana and Maryland, who slapped together teams with older transfers.
Smart has made it clear he prefers to have growth among the younger players on the team.
The biggest issue has been that many of the sophomores and juniors on the team have struggled with increased responsibilities.
Sophomore forward Royce Parham shot 1 for 8 against Maryland. Sophomore big man Caedin Hamilton had only four points and five rebounds.
“Our program is predicated on guys stepping forward,” Smart said. “I got to do a better job of helping those guys do that.
“And helping them understand we don’t have a choice but to step forward. Everyone is in a new role, everyone has more demands on them. But, ultimately, it has to start with the spirit and energy we bring each other. Which is controllable.
“And then all the controllable elements on the defensive end. We’re going to watch that tape and we’re going to see a lot of possessions where we just aren’t in a good enough stance. Or we didn’t communicate at a high-enough level. Or we weren’t in the right position. Those things are fixable. Those things are controllable.”
Sophomore wing Damarius Owens, who many pointed to as a breakout candidate with his athletic, 6-7 frame, hasn’t earned the trust to get more playing time. He played just short of 10 minutes against Maryland and only took one shot.
“He’s a talented, talented guy,” Smart said. “He had a surgery in the spring, so he was robbed of most of his off-season. He’s been back since July and it’s time for him to go after it.
“He actually had a phenomenal practice yesterday. The best practice he’s had in some time. And that’s why I gave him more opportunity today, but right now he seems like he’s half-step behind. We’ve got to get his aggressiveness ramped up, some how, some way.”
Where does Marquette and Shaka Smart go from here?
MU has just a couple more chances for quality non-conference victories that every team needs to boost its at-large NCAA tournament resume.
There are daunting road games against state rival Wisconsin and top-five Purdue, but MU only has a few weeks to get ready for those.
For MU fans clamoring for a transfer, that conversation will have to wait until the spring because the roster is what is for this season.
“When you come to Marquette, it’s an absolute honor,” Smart said. “Jerel McNeal’s went up in the rafters today. It’s an honor to wear the same uniform he wore.
“And we have a lot of work to do to help our guys understand the responsibilty that goes along with that honor. Man, that’s the biggest thing for me right now. We have to take tomorrow off, but Monday when we’re back on the practice court and in the film room, that’s the one thing that will be made clear.”
Marquette’s probable starters
Guards: Nigel James Jr., Chase Ross, Zaide Lowery
Forwards: Ben Gold, Caedin Hamilton
Maryland injury report
Maryland’s Myles Rice (ankle), Solomon Washington (ankle), and George Turkson (undisclosed) are out for the game, according to the Big Ten injury report.
Marquette-Maryland odds
The Golden Eagles area 7.5-point favorite, with the over-under set at 145.5, per BetMGM.com.
Marquette-Maryland prediction
This is a big test for MU after getting blown out against Indiana. Maryland’s 6-foot-9 bruiser Pharrel Payne is the kind of player, in the mold of St. John’s star Zuby Ejiofor and New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph, who gives the Golden Eagles all kinds of trouble. This has all the makings of a physical rock fight.
Prediction: Maryland 68, Marquette 64
How to watch Marquette-Maryland
Time: 1 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on Peacock with John Fanta (play-by-play) and Donny Marshall (analyst) on the call.
Next five Marquette games on schedule
November
December
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: After another ugly loss, Marquette is looking for answers to keep season from spiraling
Reporting by Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
