Big East basketball program faces harsh reality after ignoring transfer portal

Marquette’s refusal to use the transfer portal is catching up to them in the new era of college basketball.

Dayton v Marquette | Patrick McDermott/GettyImagesCollege basketball is a new, revolving world where coaches and programs see new faces every single year, with very little commitment from the players the year prior.

In 2025, many programs have seen few returners, with a total of 2,631 players transferring prior to the season, but a team that didn’t access the transfer portal was the Marquette Golden Eagles.

Shaka Smart and his program are known for their stubbornness when it comes to the transfer portal.

Smart follows a coaching philosophy that prioritizes player development and retention…