{image1}This is the first in a series of three articles previewing the NCAA men's basketball teams of Marquette, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

Considering the Marquette Golden Eagles are coming off a Final Four season, had their best player selected at No. 5 in this summer's NBA Draft and also lost their senior center and second-leading scorer, it would be natural to think Tom Crean's team will experience a drop-off in success in 2003-'04.

I'm here to tell you the thought is warranted. But the decline probably won't be as drastic as everyone thinks.

Dwyane Wade is now scoring points and handing out assists for the Miami Heat, and Robert Jackson is knocking bodies around for Spanish professional team Fuenlabrada. But by nearly all accounts, the Golden Eagles are both deeper and — yes — more talented than they were during last season's thrilling Final Four run.

They are also quite a bit less experienced, despite the fact Crean has three starters returning: junior point guard Travis Diener, junior small forward Todd Townsend and senior power forward Scott Merritt.

But Crean and Marquette fans have reason to be excited over an impressive crop of newcomers. Guards Dameon Mason (6-5), Brandon Bell (5-11) and Carlton Christian (6-5); forward James Matthews (6-8); and JUCO transfer forward Marcus Jackson (6-8) will help fill the rather large void created by Wade and Jackson.

"I don't think that we can feel like we're going to replace Dwyane and Robert in such a short time with what they brought to the table in so many different areas," Crean said. "All you can hope is that everybody understands how good they were and what they have to do is make up for it."

Crean's floor leader, of course, is Diener. The point guard's passing and clutch 3-point shooting may have been the main factors in Marquette's NCAA run last March, and he's expected to contend for Conference USA Player off the Year honors with Cincinnati's Jason Maxiell and Louisville's Francisco Garcia.

But who will be Diener's running partner? Mason, from Aurora, Ill., is a natural wing and an early candidate for Wade's starting spot. Like Wade, Mason is exceptionally quick and long for his size. He also showed a rebounding knack at the high school level, grabbing nine boards/game as a junior. He'll compete with fellow frosh Christian, a high-flyer from Orlando who should have Dick Vitale shouting "Ohhhhh! Ohhhhh!" on more than one occasion before he's done in Milwaukee. Christian started all four years in high school and boasts amazing athleticism.

If not one of the rookies, sophomore Joe Chapman should earn the starting slot. A tough defender who made some key shots down the stretch last year, Chapman played in every game in 2002-03. He also started during the team's four-game exhibition tour in Costa Rica last month, scoring in double-digits in each game.

There will be no shortage of depth at guard. Returning sophomore Karon Bradley will back up Diener after earning over 8 minutes a game last season. Bradley knocked down some key 3-pointers in the tournament and participated in a six-game tour of Italy with the ACEL All-Star team this summer (sophomore center Chris Grimm also competed). Freshman Bell, younger brother of former Michigan State star Charlie Bell, has known Crean since he was 10-years old and figures to contribute off the bench.

As deep as the Golden Eagles appear in the backcourt, the front line may be equally dense. Merritt blossomed into an offensive threat as a junior (10.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and should be a force in the post after undergoing shoulder surgery this summer. Townsend hit 38 percent of his 3's and started all 33 games a year ago. He'll need to chip in more on the glass (2.7 rpg) now that both Jackson and Wade are gone; they combined for 13.8 rebounds per game.

Long-range assassin Steve Novak will give opposing C-USA coaches more nightmares this year. The 6-10 sophomore presents all sort of matchup problems, though his defensive game still needs work. But considering Novak hit 50.5 percent of his 3-point attempts last year, his shaky D isn't a sticking point. Novak's bombs against Missouri and Kentucky last year are defining moments in Marquette tournament history.

Novak tried out for the U.S. National team this summer (to participate in the Pan Am Games), but he failed to make the squad. Ironically, cold shooting during the week-long tryout sealed his fate.

While Novak will again come off the bench, incoming junior Marcus Jackson may replace namesake Robert in the starting lineup. The Peoria, Ill. native should have no problem earning rebounds inside, but don't expect him to put up 12-15 points a night quite yet. Instead, freshman Matthews could rotate with Jackson to pick up the scoring slack inside. At 6-8, 245, the Detroit prep star can run the court and is nimble around the hoop.

Senior leader Terry Sanders returns to provide inside strength and defense. The ex-Milwaukee Vincent HS star played 15 minutes/game last year and helped spell Jackson. Sanders had an 18-point, 8-rebound game in Costa Rica and could be Crean's fifth starter when the team opens play against St. John's this Thursday night.

Grimm, who accompanied Bradley to Italy this summer and also played well in Costa Rica, should see an expanded role over his freshman campaign. Possessed of a soft touch offensively, Crean is looking for the 6-10 sophomore to get stronger on the glass and in the paint before the year is out.

Beyond Diener and perhaps Novak, Crean's team will lack star power during its penultimate season in C-USA. But that doesn't mean expectations will be any lower. The Golden Eagles have several high-profile games before conference play begins in January, including Thursday's ESPN2 game vs. St. John's (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York City), a December 1 home game vs. Notre Dame, and road contests against Arizona (December 13) and Wisconsin (December 20) before the holidays. The normal cupcakes fill in the gaps until conference play begins at Houston on January 7.

How will the Golden Eagles fare? The polish of last year's 14-2 conference champion will be missing, and fans can expect a battle with Cincinnati, Louisville and perhaps even DePaul or Charlotte in the American Division. But upperclass leadership and talented newcomers should stamp Marquette's third straight 20-win season and a 5-8 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

More is possible; the talent is there. But don't forget this telling stat: Marquette started the same five players in every game last year. That type of cohesion and chemistry is not a given in 2003-'04, though Crean certainly has the ingredients to mold another memorable season.