I'm going to give you a rundown of my MLK day.
Wake up at about 9 a.m., shower, have a balanced breakfast and head to the Brew. Buy a large coffee (nine o'clock is a little early for me), turn on my computer, log on to espn.com and see that Marquette is ranked No. 10 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Poll (the AP Top 25 hadn't been released yet, Marquette was later ranked No. 11).
Then I noticed that the only Big East teams ranked ahead of Marquette in the poll were Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Syracuse (again, in the ESPN/USA Today Poll). Curious, I log on to bigeast.org, go to the men's basketball page, see that Marquette is first in the Big East standings and look around the room in astonishment.
Then I got to thinking, can Marquette keep this up? My answer: Why not? Look at the match-ups:
Jan. 24 vs. DePaul
At home against the worst team in the Big East? I'll take Marquette.
Jan. 26 at Notre Dame
The Golden Eagles and the Fighting Irish have a remarkably consistent rivalry — each team tends to win at home. But given that the Golden Eagles lost by just three the last time they went to the Joyce Center, they defeated the Irish by 10 in last season's Big East Tournament and that Notre Dame has looked positively mediocre so far this season — the team is currently coming off back-to-back losses at the hands of Louisville and Syracuse — I'm willing to go against the grain here.
Jan. 31 vs. Georgetown
The Hoyas are one of the teams that scare me in the Big East. The inside-scoring ability of DaJuan Summers and Greg Monroe looks like the perfect combination to topple Marquette's small ball. Fortunately for the Golden Eagles, they get Georgetown at home, where they play like a completely different team.
Feb. 3 at DePaul
See Jan. 24…I don't care if it's an away game.
Feb. 6 at South Florida
Ditto.
Feb. 10 at Villanova
Another tough call. I wasn't at all surprised to see Marquette knock off the Wildcats at the Bradley Center. Then again I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Marquette fall on the road to the same team. I'll be pessimistic and give this one to Nova.
Feb. 14 vs. St. John's
I think we've already established that Marquette can beat bad teams at home.
Feb. 17 vs. Seton Hall
What did I just say?
Feb. 21 at Georgetown
That chance the Golden Eagles have of beating the Hoyas in their first contest vanishes when they leave the 1000 block of Milwaukee's 4th Street.
Feb. 25 vs. Connecticut
UConn big men Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet will "Tha-beat" the Golden Eagles at home. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Mar. 1 at. Louisville
Louisville has looked better as of late, but I still think this is a game Marquette can win. I don't trust freshman Samardo Samuels or senior Terrence Williams any further than I can throw them, which incidentally isn't very far. Advantage: Marquette.
Mar. 4 at Pittsburgh
Ahh, the Panthers. Oh, how you are perpetually overrated. It is length, not bulk, that gives Marquette fits, and Pittsburgh has more of the latter. I wouldn't be surprised to see Tyrell Biggs and DaJuan Blair foul out in the first half. Or drop to the floor from exhaustion. Give me Marquette.
Mar. 7 vs. Syracuse
I like the Orange, but they haven't beaten anyone they shouldn't have. That could change, but for now I'll take the Golden Eagles — if not for any reason other than they are at home.
By my math, that puts Marquette at 15-3 in conference play. Good enough for best in the Big East? Why not? After all, I never expected the team to be sitting on top in the first place.