Here has what stood out in Marquette’s first 5 video games this season

• The Marquette males’s basketball crew has had a difficult begin to the season as gamers regulate to new roles.
• Defensive points, notably a scarcity of rim safety, have allowed opponents to attain simply.
• Senior guard Chase Ross has taken on a a lot bigger offensive function, considerably rising his shot makes an attempt per recreation.
• Freshman guard Nigel James Jr. has seen extra enjoying time however wants to enhance his defensive depth and a focus to element.

It’s been a tough begin to the season for the Marquette males’s basketball crew, with most of its gamers making an attempt to determine new roles.

MU (3-2) faces a important recreation with Dayton (3-1) on Nov. 19 at Fiserv Forum. The Golden Eagles don’t have many alternatives left to select up high quality nonconference victories, only a neutral-site matchup with Oklahoma in Chicago and difficult street video games at Wisconsin and top-ranked Purdue.

What has stood out about MU in its first 5 video games?

Here is a take a look at some fascinating tendencies.

What is largest challenge for MU’s protection?

It looks as if MU has sufficient athletic defenders to trigger hassle for opposing offenses.

The Golden Eagles have created turnovers on 20.5% of foes’ possessions, which ranks eighty fifth within the nation. MU has ranked within the high 20 in turnover share over the previous three seasons.

But most troublesome has been the straightforward pictures that MU permits. The Golden Eagles aren’t providing a lot rim safety. They have blocked solely 7.3% of opponents’ pictures.

Maryland scored 37 factors in 25 makes an attempt on the rim. During a 12-0 run within the second half, the Terrapins transformed on three layups.

“We just didn’t sustain the defensive intensity and toughness and tenacity we had to have,” MU coach Shaka Smart mentioned.

Chase Ross is carrying a heavy load

MU is relying closely on senior guard Chase Ross.

He has proven that he’s up for it, dropping a career-high 31 factors towards Maryland on 19 pictures. That marks probably the most field-goal makes an attempt by Ross with the Golden Eagles. His earlier excessive was 13 makes an attempt in 4 totally different video games, together with this season towards Southern and Indiana.

It’s been an enormous leap to being the dominant shot-creator. According to statistical web site kenpom.com, Ross is getting 26.6% of MU’s pictures when he’s on the ground. That is a serious leap from the 15.7% of MU’s pictures Ross bought final season.

Kam Jones carried a heavy offensive load for the Golden Eagles final season. He took 31% of MU’s pictures when he was on the ground, however that was a job he was used to. In his junior season, Jones took 29.5% of MU’s pictures.

“It’s been an adjustment,” Ross mentioned after the loss to Indiana. “But I feel like it’s still a team, not mainly just me.

“We all can score. We’re all going to do it as a collective. We’ll just keep working on that and get to where we want to be.”    

Will Nigel James Jr.’s minutes maintain rising?

MU freshman guard Nigel James Jr. has been within the beginning lineup the earlier two video games as a result of Sean Jones has been out with a shoulder damage.

As a end result, James noticed an uptick in enjoying time of about 5 minutes per recreation. It looks as if there could possibly be extra alternatives for James, however Smart desires to see extra consideration to element from the younger guard.

“Nigel giveth and Nigel taketh away,” Smart mentioned. “He’s a really, really good player. He’s a dynamic player.

“But I’ve got to help him with details. I’ve got to help him with defensive intensity. I’ve got to help him guarding the ball. I’ve got to help him with what to do when the defense go under.

“He and I, we’ve spent a lot of time together. We need to spend a lot more.”

Interesting outlier performances

MU’s losses to Indiana and Maryland may have been quite a bit worse if not for some outlier statistical performances.

Against the Terrapins, the Golden Eagles pulled down 20 offensive rebounds and scored 25 second-chance factors. Those 20 boards are probably the most in a recreation by a MU crew in Smart’s 5 seasons as coach. The earlier excessive was 18 towards Butler final season.

Those additional alternatives helped the Golden Eagles put up 21 extra pictures than the Terrapins.

“If you told me before the game that we were going to have 20 offensive rebounds and Maryland would have four, I would have thought we’d be in good pretty shape,” Smart mentioned.

Against Indiana, MU made 29 free throws (out of 33 makes an attempt). That was by far probably the most made free throws in Smart’s tenure, topping the 24 towards New Hampshire within the coach’s first season on the college.