The Marquette Golden Eagles have had an amazing season. They have steadily climbed the AP Top 25 and won the Big East regular season. As the NCAA tournament approaches, the league is revealing its semifinalists for every award. Head coach Shaka Smart has been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Award.
Our very own @CoachShakaSmart has been named a semifinalist for the @NaismithTrophy Men’s College Coach of the Year!#MUBB | #WeAreMarquette pic.twitter.com/jOSNwyzBpi
— Marquette Basketball (@MarquetteMBB) March 10, 2023
Shaka Smart Name Semifinalist For Naismith Award
It is not surprising to see Smart on this list for the coach of the year award. The Golden Eagles were not ranked in the preseason top 25. Not only that, they didn’t even receive a vote for the top 25 in the initial poll. Marquette is 26-6 on the season and is ranked no. 6 in the nation. They are in line for one of the top seeds for the NCAA tournament. What Smart has been able to do with this team has been fantastic. They have played stiff competition and won many close games. This shows how good of a coach Smart has been for the Golden Eagles.
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How Far Can Marquette Go?
Anything can happen in the NCAA tournament. This year especially feels volatile. The top teams have been a rotating carousel as it seems the top teams are constantly being upset. There really isn’t a clear favorite going into the tournament. This leads many to ask, why not Marquette? Smart has led teams to the Final Four before. In those games, he was the underdog. Now, he has a team that is playing as well as any in college basketball.
It is great to see Shaka Smart get the recognition of being a semifinalist for the Naismith Award. He has been one of the best coaches, if not the best coach, in college basketball this season. The tournament is on the horizon and with the Badgers most likely not making it, the Golden Eagles may be the team the state of Wisconsin gets behind.
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