It would be hard to top the back-to-back games Marquette's Markus Howard had.
First, he scored a school-record 52 points in an overtime win against Providence then netted 37 vs. (now) top-ranked Villanova.
Among the records Howard set:
-- Points in a game by a Big East player (tied; Providence's Marshon Brooks also had 52 vs. Notre Dame on Feb. 23, 2011).
-- Topped Marquette single-game points record by eight.
-- 11 3-pointers vs. Providence a Big East record, most in NCAA in 2017-18 and tied his own Marquette record, set earlier this season
-- 17 field goals vs. Providence set a Marquette record. The old mark was 16, which was done five times and not since 1968.
-- 32 second-half points vs. Providence were the most in any half of any Big East game, besting Villanova's Kerry Kittles' 28 vs. Boston College on Feb. 28, 1995.
-- 52 points was the most ever scored against Providence.
While those two games were clearly standout performances, it is just the latest in what could turn out to be a record-setting season for Howard.
Entering Tuesday's game against Seton Hall, Howard is averaging 23.5 points, has scored 376 points, made 65 3-pointers and has yet to miss a free-throw attempt in 51 tries.
Howard thus far has played in 16 games. Last season, the Golden Eagles played in 32 games (Howard appeared in 31), and it is reasonable to think this year's Marquette squad can play in at least as many as 32. Thus, if Howard can just match his current pace and play in 16 more games, he'd set numerous school records. Let's take a look:
Points -- After scoring 410 points as a freshman, Howard already has 376 as a sophomore, giving him a pace of 752. Only one other player in Marquette history has topped 700 points in a season -- Dwyane Wade with 710 in 2002-03. Just three others have scored more than 650.
| POINTS | PLAYER | SEASON |
| 710 | Dwyane Wade | 2002-03 |
| 693 | Jerel McNeal | 2008-09 |
| 689 | Tony Smith | 1989-90 |
| 664 | George Thompson | 1967-68 |
| 640 | Wesley Matthews | 2008-09 |
| 628 | Butch Lee | 1976-77 |
| 623 | Darius Johnson-Odom | 2011-12 |
| 616 | Lazar Hayward | 2009-10 |
| 616 | Dean Meminger | 1970-71 |
Points per game -- Howard is currently averaging 23.5 points per game, which would be the second-best mark in Marquette history. Only six players have averaged at least 21 points per game -- and just one (Wade) in the last 25 years. The Golden Eagles currently have two players averaging that many points as Andrew Rowsey is scoring 21.0 points per game.
| AVG | PLAYER | SEASON |
| 23.8 | Tony Smith | 1989-90 |
| 22.9 | George Thompson | 1967-68 |
| 22.0 | Bob Wolf | 1965-66 |
| 21.5 | Dwyane Wade | 2002-03 |
| 21.4 | Don Kojis | 1960-61 |
| 21.2 | Dean Meminger | 1970-71 |
Field goals -- Obviously if one scores a lot of points, numerous baskets are being made. Howard has 130 field goals thus far (just six shy of his total all of last season). Only five Marquette players have had at least 240 in a season and two with more than 250. If Howard can double his total, he'd have (another) school record.
| FG | PLAYER | SEASON |
| 252 | George Thompson | 1967-68 |
| 251 | Dwyane Wade | 2002-03 |
| 241 | Earl Tatum | 1975-76 |
| 240 | Tony Smith | 1989-90 |
| 239 | Butch Lee | 1976-77 |
3-point field goals: Howard showed last year he can hit a 3 -- more than half of his field goals (82 of 136) were 3s and he hit on 54.7 percent of them. His percentage is down in 2017-18 (40.1) but not his volume. Only Steve Novak has hit triple-digits in 3s in Marquette history. This year's Golden Eagles team could have three. In addition to Howard (65), Rowsey (57) and Sam Hauser (45) could reach that mark.
| 3s | PLAYER | SEASON |
| 121 | Steve Novak | 2005-06 |
| 90 | Travis Diener | 2003-04 |
| 89 | Steve Novak | 2004-05 |
| 89 | Steve Novak | 2003-04 |
| 86 | Jerel McNeal | 2008-09 |
| 83 | Matt Carlino | 2014-15 |
| 82 | Markus Howard | 2016-17 |
Free-throw percentage: Finally, Howard doesn’t get cheated out of points when he makes it to the foul line. He has yet to miss a foul shot this season, sinking all 51 of his attempts. Last season he made 88.9 percent of his 63 free-throw attempts. To make the Marquette record book, one needs at least 100 attempts -- which Howard could reach if he maintains his pace. Barring a disastrous performance (for him, at least; 75.5 percent wouldn't get it done) from the line, he'd set the school record in this category as well.
| FT% | PLAYER | SEASON |
| 88.3 | Travis Diener | 2003-04 |
| 88.1 | Bob Walczak | 1954-55 |
| 87.2 | Butch Lee | 1976-77 |
| 86.9 | Damon Key | 1992-93 |
| 86.3 | Brad Luchini | 1967-68 |
| 86.0 | Brian Brunkhorst | 1965-66 |
| 85.6 | Tony Smith | 1989-90 |
And in case you were curious, entering Tuesday's college basketball games, Howard is third in the nation in 3s, tied for seventh in points per game, eighth in points and tied for ninth in field goals. Also, only Wofford's Fletcher Magee has also made all his free-throw attempts, although he has taken 11 fewer than Howard.
Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow, Facing Ted Williams - Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
