Coach Wojciechowski has consistently landed talent from the transfer market when needed, and D.J. Carton is the latest example of this. In mid-April, Carton announced he was transferring to Marquette and was granted immediate eligibility in mid-June. The Markus Howard era has come to a close and now the D.J. Carton era may be beginning at Marquette.
Scouting Report on Carton
D.J. Carton is a 6’2” guard known for his explosiveness and scoring prowess. He has a quick first step that can get him into the lane where he can finish above the rim or stop on a dime and put up a floater. Carton is a solid shooter, playmaker, defender, and a capable scorer off the dribble. However, if Carton is to lead Marquette to the NCAA tournament, he will need to cut down on his turnover rate.
Carton was not asked to be the focal point of the offense during his freshman year at Ohio State. He was a key contributor, but there is a difference between the two, as it is never easy being the guy at the top of your opponent’s scouting report. Carton will have to adapt and improve his assist-to-turnover ratio as he takes the reigns of the offense.
He averaged 3.0 assists per game to 2.6 turnovers in only 23.9 minutes per game last year. Ideally, he will move closer to a 3-to-1 ratio, rather than the approximate 1-to-1 ratio he had last year. Carton’s ability to take care of the ball will be imperative to how far Marquette will go.
What Will the Offense Look Like?
It will be a tall task to replace Marquette’s all-time leading scorer. This is especially true when you add the fact that Marquette loses Howard’s backcourt mate Sacar Anim to graduation. In addition, they lose Brendan Bailey who declared for the NBA draft. The spacing they brought will be missed and Marquette fans should expect the offense to look vastly different this year. Wojo has had the luxury of having at least one elite-level shooter on his roster since the 2016-17 season. This coming in the form of Andrew Rowsey, Sam Hauser, Joey Hauser, and of course Markus Howard.
The spacing Marquette fans have become accustomed to will not be there. Wojo will make adjustments, as the offense has been centered around Howard for the last two seasons. Marquette fans can expect a more balanced attack with Carton leading the way. This year will be about paint-touches through both slashing to the hoop and entry passes into the post. Dawson Garcia will bring a post-scoring threat that Marquette did not have last season. The ball will move around with more fluidity and there will be a focus on all five guys contributing, rather than watching Howard do his thing. The shot distribution will be more dispersed, as Howard had six games where he shot 25 or more times this past season; nothing close to that will transpire this year.
Replacing Howard
Howard is one of the best shooters on the PLANET. Opposing teams threw doubles at him and had to defend him as soon as he crossed half-court. You will not see that with Carton; he is a good shooter, as he made 40% of his attempts from distance, but is not a sniper. Howard was the most prolific scorer in Marquette history so it was fitting for him to be the epicenter of the offense and to run him off countless screens. Carton is a bucket-getter and will be integral, but not to the extent of a Markus Howard.
Marquette fans can expect more of an emphasis on getting into the lane and post play. Now, D.J. Carton is not a pass-first point guard either, but he is a little more so than Howard. Expect Carton to stir the drink for Marquette and lead a more balanced attack that is not as predicated on the three-point shot. You can also expect Carton to posterize his fair share of helpless defenders throughout his time at Marquette.
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