First off, let me emphasize the maybe in the title. Marquette has only played one regular season game against a program that is so bad that they are moving down to D-III next season. The only other game we can off of is that exhibition game against a team that was just happy to be invited into the Bradley Center without having to pay for a ticket. Not exactly two games you can use as an accurate litmus test to see if the fresh face Golden Eagles will successfully survive the Big East and life after Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews.

Hey, this team has to learn how to win at the collegiate level so I am not going to fault Buzz Williams for his first two games selections.

In fact, this season should be seen as exciting times for the Marquette program. That is right exciting times. A lot of new faces and a chance to see what those new faces can do. One thing I have taken away from this two game sneak peek is that this roster is loaded with talent. Exciting talent to be exact and talent that is budding with potential. Even better, some of these guys that were supposed to be just role players brought in to support the three amigos last season might actually turn out to make some names for themselves this season.

Jimmy Butler looks like he is becoming a legitimate second scoring option and being able to take some of the scoring load off Lazar Hayward's shoulders. Through most of last season, Butler epitomized gun shy but now he looks comfortable and confident going to the hole. If Butler keeps on developing, Hayward might not have to score 35 points a game just to give Marquette a prayer.

David Cubillan is looking like that player we saw when he first showed up on campus--knocking down shots and playing on a motor that does not stop. The Junior Cadougan loss might not be as bad if Cubillan can keep playing to the form he has shown.

 Some of these fresh faces look like they can be really good players down the road and even in the immediate future so a 12th place finish might not be Marquette's destiny after all. Then again, they have only played MSOE and the Centenary Gentlemen so now is not the time to say the 2005-2006 will repeat itself. Injuries and inexperience could plague this team at anytime.

Though, that is not to say now is not the time to think things will not be so bad after all. I still believe Marquette's season will shake out one of three ways--really bad, 16-15, or exceeding expectations.

Right now, I think the first scenario probably will not happen. A combination of a lot of injuries, a lot of immaturity and the Big East would have to happen and I do not see inexperience completely getting in the way to have this season result in a tough to watch ending. Also, this talent looks good enough to pull off a few extra wins in the Big East  that many pundits do not see happening. I like what I see in Dwight Buycks, Jeronne Maymon and Darius Johnson-Odom enough to start thinking that this team could finish better than 16-15. Maybe an 18-13, 19-12 finish.

Sorry for not going all out with a NCAA prediction but I have seen a lot of teams (especially Marquette) struggle to replace 67% of their scoring right away. Hey, the sky is the limit with this team. They may just shock the college basketball world like this program did in '05-'06. One thing is for sure, they certainly have the talent to prove those that are predicting Marquette's demise might be greatly exaggerated.