2026-27 Depth Chart

[MU82]

Saving this qoute for when fru has 3 fouls in the first half against uconn.

FWIW, Hamilton had his best game of the season against UConn after Gold got into foul trouble, and he played a role in helping Marquette pull off one of the biggest upsets of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

But yes, point taken.

[Pakuni]

I don't feel great about that option.  But the extent to which people think our back-up 5s can impact our season is ludicrous.

I haven't seen anyone suggest that the quality of the backup 5s in itself is likely to wreck the season, barring injury.

I see people who are frustrated because the staff chose not to address an obvious weakness when time and opportunity to do so existed, and that's been a recurring theme with this staff three seasons running now. Those choices came back to bite them the past two seasons. We'll find out if it happens again, but I imagine even you can understand the concern.

[GoldenEagles03]

FWIW, Hamilton had his best game of the season against UConn after Gold got into foul trouble, and he played a role in helping Marquette pull off one of the biggest upsets of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

But yes, point taken.

Only an upset because the team was one of the worst we have seen. I don't think Marquette beating UConn at home should ever be considered an upset. But that was the reality last year.

[The Sultan]

Only an upset because the team was one of the worst we have seen. I don't think Marquette beating UConn at home should ever be considered an upset. But that was the reality last year.

Prior to last season, Shaka Smart was 2-8 against UConn, with the only two victories coming in 2022-23 at home and in the BET semis.

Like it or not, beating UConn at home was not only an upset last year, but pretty much has been throughout Shaka's tenure. And likely will be for the foreseeable future.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Saving this qoute for when fru has 3 fouls in the first half against uconn.

 

"Season" is a hard word to understand.

[MU82]

Only an upset because the team was one of the worst we have seen. I don't think Marquette beating UConn at home should ever be considered an upset. But that was the reality last year.

 

You come up with the most bizarre takes. But it's part of the fun of ScoopLand.

[Jay Bee]

FWIW, Hamilton had his best game of the season against UConn after Gold got into foul trouble, and he played a role in helping Marquette pull off one of the biggest upsets of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

But yes, point taken.

You're right. 18 poured in 4 points and corralled 2 rebounds (zero offensive) in his *18* minutes during that game.

Tarris Reed was shutdown for the entire game - only 7/10 for 16 points and 10 rebounds, 5 of them offensive! Backup center Eric Reibe could only muster 4 points and 3 offensive boards in his 11 minutes of backup duty.

Meanwhile, 18 dismantled UCONN's ability to shoot three-pointers, where they went 3/24 on the night.

Amazing stuff!

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I haven't seen anyone suggest that the quality of the backup 5s in itself is likely to wreck the season, barring injury.

I see people who are frustrated because the staff chose not to address an obvious weakness when time and opportunity to do so existed, and that's been a recurring theme with this staff three seasons running now. Those choices came back to bite them the past two seasons. We'll find out if it happens again, but I imagine even you can understand the concern.

"Even you can understand the concern".

Kind of difficult to respond to that in a manner that won't get me banned so I'll let it be.

I've never said I had no concerns.  I was excited about Sheek - he is a loss.  I would have liked the staff to add someone to replace him. 

The pickings were slim after Sheek was poached.  Why do you fail to acknowledge there may not have been a fit when it comes to talent, culture and compensation?

[Jay Bee]

The pickings were slim after Sheek was poached.  Why do you fail to acknowledge there may not have been a fit when it comes to talent, culture and compensation?

Tough to find a fit when you oddly believe 18 is a very good player and (probably reasonably believe) an A+ culture guy.

[TallTitan34]

Only an upset because the team was one of the worst we have seen. I don't think Marquette beating UConn at home should ever be considered an upset. But that was the reality last year.

I'm always thankful we took care of business in that trap game against UConn in 2006.

[MU82]

You're right. 18 poured in 4 points and corralled 2 rebounds (zero offensive) in his *18* minutes during that game.

Tarris Reed was shutdown for the entire game - only 7/10 for 16 points and 10 rebounds, 5 of them offensive! Backup center Eric Reibe could only muster 4 points and 3 offensive boards in his 11 minutes of backup duty.

Meanwhile, 18 dismantled UCONN's ability to shoot three-pointers, where they went 3/24 on the night.

Amazing stuff!

Thanks for acknowledging that you didn't watch the game.

[Its DJOver]

Thanks for acknowledging that you didn't watch the game.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay/_/gameId/401822973

Yea, most of the damage was done when Caedin was out. Reed had 6 points in the first 3.5 minutes of the game before Caedin even made an appearance. 4 more in the first 50 seconds of the second, again with no Caedin. That's 10 out of his 16 in just over 4 minute combined span when Caedin wasn't in the game. 

If Caedin can play like he did against UCONN consistently, he'll be a perfectly acceptable backup. His usage was below 15 last year. If he only attempts three shots a game, I don't really care if one is a 3 foot air ball as long as the other two are 0 foot dunks. On the offensive end, set screens and be in the right spot for dump offs/put backs.  Defensively, I wish he didn't hedge as hard on the PnR, but that's less on him/his ability and more on the staff's scheme.  With another 250lb C on the roster, I would think we would see less of that overall.

[MUDPT]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/playbyplay/_/gameId/401822973

Yea, most of the damage was done when Caedin was out. Reed had 6 points in the first 3.5 minutes of the game before Caedin even made an appearance. 4 more in the first 50 seconds of the second, again with no Caedin. That's 10 out of his 16 in just over 4 minute combined span when Caedin wasn't in the game. 

If Caedin can play like he did against UCONN consistently, he'll be a perfectly acceptable backup. His usage was below 15 last year. If he only attempts three shots a game, I don't really care if one is a 3 foot air ball as long as the other two are 0 foot dunks. On the offensive end, set screens and be in the right spot for dump offs/put backs.  Defensively, I wish he didn't hedge as hard on the PnR, but that's less on him/his ability and more on the staff's scheme.  With another 250lb C on the roster, I would think we would see less of that overall.

This is where I'm at. He's miscast in the "Oso" role, catching on the FT line, facilitating offense. He could be fine in the dunker spot with absolutely no dribbling. It's up to the coaches to find schemes which are going to be different when Fru is in, versus Hamilton.

[GoldenEagles03]

You come up with the most bizarre takes. But it's part of the fun of ScoopLand.

What don't you agree with? Marquette is routinely near the top of college hoops in attendance. They spend a lot of money. This is a great basketball program. We should expect to win in Milwaukee against everyone and anyone.

Everyone will lose games at home, no big deal, but I still think we should expect to win. Have some pride in the program!

[MU82]

What don't you agree with? Marquette is routinely near the top of college hoops in attendance. They spend a lot of money. This is a great basketball program. We should expect to win in Milwaukee against everyone and anyone.

Everyone will lose games at home, no big deal, but I still think we should expect to win. Have some pride in the program!

I'm one of the biggest optimists here, and I expect lots of winning.

But the fact is that UConn was a big favorite in that game, and we upset them. That you don't think we should ever be a home underdog is beside the point.

[wadesworld]

Only an upset because the team was one of the worst we have seen. I don't think Marquette beating UConn at home should ever be considered an upset. But that was the reality last year.

MU over UCONN at home should never be considered an upset?  The program that has won 22% of the last 27 national championships?

[wadesworld]

"Well embedded moles" weren't leaking stuff out to Rothstein about Williams and Mbao. Furthermore they lasted two and one seasons here respectively. It's a nonsense comparison. They were nothing more than novelty acts - not players expected to play significant minutes.

I think what concerns people was last year's complete misevaluation of Hamilton. And now they are going to roll it back with him as a back-up. I completely get why people don't feel great about that option.

I do have to admit that I got a chuckle out of the posters who respond to "Well yeah Caedin may not have played many minutes, but he played first half minutes!" are the ones who like, "Well Williams didn't play many minutes, so who cares if he started?"

[GoldenEagles03]

I'm one of the biggest optimists here, and I expect lots of winning.

But the fact is that UConn was a big favorite in that game, and we upset them. That you don't think we should ever be a home underdog is beside the point.

We shouldn't have seasons like last year, ever. That's part of the point. Of course Marquette will be underdogs at home at times. That is just college basketball. But last year was legitimately shocking because of how terrible the team was. If Marquette was even a .500 team, UConn dropping a game in Milwaukee wouldn't be any bit surprising.

My point is that we should never have to feel like a game is impossible to win in Milwaukee. Sure, we will lose games in Milwaukee. Fine. But this place has been and should be a fortress. I look forward to getting back to that.