Marquette Women's Basketball Preview: A Dark Horse To Watch In BIG EAST
Marquette Women's Basketball Preview: A Dark Horse To Watch In BIG EAST
The return of two standout veterans and tenacious defense give Marquette the feel of a dark-horse contender in the BIG EAST.
Marquette put together a solid postseason resume during the 2021-2022 season.
It featured 21 regular-season wins, including 13 in a historically tough BIG EAST, with wins over Creighton and DePaul (including a BIG EAST Tournament blowout).
However, a four-season streak of bids in the NCAA Tournament came to an end for the Golden Eagles. The disappointment of a season ago could be a motivator for an experienced Marquette squad capable of contending in another loaded BIG EAST season.
2021 Season Review
Marquette boasted one of the premier defenses in the BIG EAST a season ago and ranked 50th nationally in advanced defensive rating per HerHoopStats.com. Liza Karlen helped pace the Golden Eagles with a blocked shots on 3.6 percent of defensive possessions, while Jordan King delivered both blocks and steals on 2.1 percent of possessions each.
The two return this season as leaders on the defensive end and building blocks offensively.
🚨NEW CAREER HIGH ALERT🚨
— Marquette WBB (@MarquetteWBB) March 5, 2022
Matching her career high wasn't enough, so Liza Karlen decided to break it instead.
She's up to 2️⃣6️⃣ points on the afternoon! #muwbb pic.twitter.com/DfR7C4I960
Key Returner
Key Addition
Nia Clark, G, Sr. - Transfer from Xavier
No stranger to BIG EAST competition, Nia Clark was a streaky scorer for Xavier in a 2021-2022 season cut short when she was dismissed from the team in February.
Before then, Clark has posted some big games, including a 20-point effort where she went 4-of-7 on 3-point shooting in a win over Georgetown and 18 points with 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc against rival Cincinnati.
Clark's output fluctuated dramatically from game-to-game, including her long-range touch. She shot sub-27% on the season, but joining a Marquette lineup where she will be a complementary piece of the offense could open more scoring opportunities for Clark to find her groove.
Games To Watch
Nov. 19-21, Battle 4 Atlantis
Marquette visits the Bahamas the week before Thanksgiving to play in the toughest early-season tournament in the country.
The eight-team field features blue-blood Tennessee, perennial contender Louisville, Rutgers, UCLA and mid-major powers Gonzaga and South Dakota State.
The Golden Eagles open this illustrious tournament with a Texas Longhorns bunch coming off a 29-win campaign that ended in the Elite Eight.
Dec. 4 at Seton Hall
The BIG EAST's depth promises to be one of, if not the conference's defining trait in the 2022-2023 season.
Teams like Marquette and Seton Hall both have the pieces to be in that mix for the top 4, which last year proved to be the cutoff for NCAA Tournament consideration.
Scoring a signature BIG EAST win early, and on the road, could be vital to setting the league-schedule tone for the Golden Eagles.