The Athletic writer thinks MU will turn things around

[MU82]

The Athletic just published its latest college basketball mailbag, and Brendan Marks received this question:

What team that has struggled as of late (however you'd like to define it) do you have the most belief in to make the second weekend?

Marks answered with one paragraph each about Illinois and UConn, before saying this ...

But the real answer, and maybe my personal bias is coming through here, is Marquette. Three straight losses prior to Tuesday's win over DePaul have dropped the Golden Eagles outside of KenPom's top 20, and per Bart Torvik, from Jan. 1 to Tuesday afternoon, Marquette hasn't even played like a top-50 team nationally. That's because Shaka Smart's team has been atrocious on the glass and has struggled mightily from 2-point range — not to mention playing UConn, St. John's and Creighton back to back to back. I am worried about the rebounding especially, but in Kam Jones, Marquette has one of the potential stars of March, and it feels like forever since all of Stevie Mitchell, Chase Ross and David Joplin have clicked in the same game. (Might be time for Shaka to unplug Mitchell's controller and restart it.) That time is coming, and so is Marquette. Fade the Golden Eagles at your own risk.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'm been justifying the last month of poor play that "it's much better to get out of their system now."

[Shooter McGavin]

I'm been justifying the last month of poor play that "it's much better to get out of their system now."

In the back of my mind, I feel the same.  Just waiting for it to turn. Sure hope it does.  Kam is a special player.  The experience is there.  Hope it happens.  These guys deserve to go out in style.

[DoctorV]

Struggling mightily from 2 is another side effect of shooting like dung from 3.

That writer is correct that the 2P shooting really has the ability to improve in the next few months, but if it does it'll be because as we've mentioned here the 3P shooting is due to improve. Once it does, the defenses will step out and the lanes will open up for easier and better shots at the rim