Photo: Marquette University - gomarquette.com
Marquette Men's Basketball practice October 2023
Marquette Men's Basketball practices in Kasten Gym at Al McGuire Center on Friday October 6, 2023.
Last season was an exciting time to be a Division I college basketball fan in Milwaukee, as Wisconsin, Marquette, and UWM made the postseason in the same year for the first time since 2012.
Wisconsin reached the semifinals of the National Invitational Tournament, UWM advanced to the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational, and Marquette took home the BIG EAST regular-season and conference tournament championships—advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 2023-24 season holds even more promise for this trio. All three squads bring back at least four starters from the previous campaign and will be serious contenders for conference titles and NCAA Tournament bids.
Marquette
In his second season in Milwaukee, head coach Shaka Smart led Marquette to a 29-win campaign and its highest-ever NCAA Tournament seed (2-seed) in 2022-23.
One of the elite offenses in the country last season returns four starters, including BIG EAST Player of the Year Tyler Kolek (12.9 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.1 RPG). Local product David Joplin (Brookfield Central High School) will also figure to play a more prominent role after starring as a scorer off the bench last season.
The loss of NBA first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper—a versatile wing selected 24th overall by the Sacramento Kings—will hurt, but this is virtually the same team that defeated national champions UConn twice last year. The Golden Eagles gained much-needed experience and have the tools to bounce back from their early March Madness exit last spring.
UWM
While the Golden Eagles were the talk of the town in Milwaukee, the Panthers are quietly coming off their winningest season since 2005-06, finishing last year with 22 victories.
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But as Panthers head coach Bart Lundy expressed in a recent interview with the Shepherd, his team is hungry. “Last year, we did win 22 games, we got to the postseason, so those are great steps for the program,” Lundy notes. “But we came in second in the regular season, lost in the semis, and then eighth in the CBI. So for our guys, they didn’t really win anything yet.”
Leading this UWM squad is All-League Second Team star BJ Freeman—who paced the team with 18.2 PPG a season ago. Alongside Freeman are three starters from a season ago, plus frontcourt transfers Langston Wilson (Washington) and Faizon Fields (Old Dominion), who will look to replace 2022-23 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year Ahmad Rand. The Panthers also feature Learic Davis, a Bradley Tech product and McDonald’s All-American who returns home after a year at Tennessee State.
With a balance of returning starters and promising transfers, Milwaukee is eager to prove itself as a rightful Horizon League favorite.
Wisconsin
After frequent NCAA Tournament success under head coach Bo Ryan, the Greg Gard years have been less fruitful. The Badgers have one Sweet 16 berth in Gard’s seven seasons in Madison, and last year, the Badgers only qualified for the NIT.
Scoring was an issue for a Wisconsin team that finished 140th in Ken Pomeroy's offensive efficiency margin. Coach Gard’s team returns its top five scorers from last year and will look to St. John’s transfer AJ Storr for an offensive boost. Storr averaged 8.8 PPG in his freshman season with the Red Storm and hit 40.4% of his three-point attempts.
Continuity will be the biggest strength for Wisconsin, as the Badgers rank second in the country in Returning Possession Minutes. While not the most talented team to take the floor in Madison, this experienced bunch will be near the top of the BIG Ten this season.
