Photo by Kylie O Sullivan / Unsplash
By Charles Collier
Marquette University has been playing inspiring basketball this season. Their goal is to win the NCAA tournament. Senior guard leads Marquette, Kam Jones, who was named to the John R. Wooden Award Pre-Season Top 50 list. On January 14, 2025, Marquette beat DePaul 83-81. David Joplin was Marquette’s leading scorer. He finished with 32 points; shooting five for 11 from the floor. Kam Jones had another great all-around game, scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. Jones’ assist-to-turnover rate is 4 to 1 this year. He has averaged 20.3 points and 6.5 assists this season. His poise, scoring, and playmaking ability have impressed NBA scouts. Marquette is 15-2 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the Big East this season.
After the Marquette victory, coach Shaka Smart was interviewed. “You want to learn from winning,” Shaka Smart said. “In the Big East, you have to bring your hard hat.”
Marquette coach Shaka Smart is one of the best college coaches in the nation. He was the AP Coach of the year and Big East Coach of the year in 2023. His career coaching record at Marquette is 90-32. Marquette is currently ranked # 7 in the nation. Under Smart’s tutelage, Marquette advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA tournament last year. If Marquette is to win the NCAA tournament, Smart will have to coach his best season yet. In addition, they must play great team defense and rely on the leadership, playmaking ability, and scoring of Kam Jones. I opine, that one team that will present a challenge to Marquette’s goal of winning the NCAA championship is #1 ranked Auburn.
On January 14, 2025, #1 ranked Auburn beat Mississippi State 88-66. After the game, a victorious coach, Bruce Pearl was interviewed. “You can’t be anything but impressed,” Bruce Pearl said postgame. “You can’t.” Just like Marquette, Auburn has aspirations for the NCAA championship. Time will tell who will win it all.