After a talented trio of seniors moved on, coach Shaka Smart and his Marquette program begin their 2025-26 campaign on Monday night when they host Albany in Milwaukee.

Kam Jones (38th pick in the NBA Draft), David Joplin and Stevie Mitchell are no longer on campus, so the focus at Marquette shifts to preseason All-Big East first-team selection Chase Ross.

In 34 games as a junior, Ross averaged 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He returns alongside forward Ben Gold (7.4 ppg last season), with zero players leaving or coming in the transfer portal, a rarity in college basketball.

"There's a group of people out there that still value relationships, growth and victory," Smart said. "There's families out there that still want to send their sons somewhere where it's not going

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