Friends Myles and Markus Ready for Saturday Showdown
By SEAN BRENNAN
Special to BIGEAST.com
This was back in October, during the tail-end of BIG EAST Media Day at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall’s Myles Powell, adorned in his custom suit and sparkly silver shoes, was asked his thoughts on having been chosen the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.
That’s when the conversation quickly veered away from his just-announced preseason accolades and more toward his close friend, Marquette’s Markus Howard.
“Honestly I was surprised, especially with Markus already winning (BIG EAST Player of the Year) last year and then coming back,” Powell said. “He’s a great player. That’s my brother off the court. I mean, I know we’re going to be hearing stories about him scoring 40 (points) here and 40 there or hitting some kind of crazy shot or hitting a bunch of threes somewhere. So I’m sending all love his way and I hope he has the great season he had last year again this year.”
Howard, for sure, is picking up where he left off last year. He currently leads the BIG EAST in scoring at a 26.8 point-per-game clip and has eclipsed 30-plus points six times this year. In fact he has gone for 40 points or better twice and topped 50 once with a 51-point performance against USC all while leading Marquette to an 11-4 record.
Powell, Seton Hall’s wunderkind guard, had a bit of a bumpier ride in the early season, sustaining a concussion in a loss to Rutgers before missing games against Maryland and Prairie View A&M. But Powell returned with a vengeance, scoring 66 points in the Pirates’ first three BIG EAST conference games, all wins, and is currently the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week.
So how cool will it be when the two of them get together and go head-to-head? Defending BIG EAST Player of the Year vs. Preseason Player of the Year. The BIG EAST’s leading scorer vs. the No. 2 leading scorer. Friend vs. Friend.
Well, that’s exactly what BIG EAST fans, heck, all avid hoop fans, will get this weekend when Seton Hall hosts Marquette on Saturday at The Rock in Newark at 4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Consider it a late Christmas present. But make no mistake, friends or not, both Powell and Howard will be putting aside their friendship for about two hours on Saturday with a coveted conference victory (and bragging rights?) on the line.
“When you’re going against one of your best friends, especially in the same conference, it’s always good to be one up on him,” said Powell, who is averaging 21.4 points a game for a Pirates team that is tied with Providence atop the conference standings with a 3-0 mark. (PC plays Butler Friday night). “It’s definitely going to be a good battle but we all know it’s love at the end of the day. I know he’s going to be out there trying to do his best just like I am.”
Howard, who is coming off a 39-point performance in a one-point loss to Providence, said despite how he feels about Powell, he’s looking at Saturday’s clash as just another conference game and one the Golden Eagles, at 1-2 in the conference, need to win.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot but to me it’s just another game in the conference that’s extremely tough,” Howard said. “So I’m not looking into it that much as a matchup (between him and Powell). I’m looking at it more as a matchup between Seton Hall and Marquette. They’re a really tough team so I’m just really looking forward to being able to compete and playing another outstanding team in the conference.”
The friendship between the two BIG EAST superstars developed even before they became conference foes, Howard said.
“It kind of started in high school. We played against each other on the circuit and then we found ourselves in the same conference when we got to college,” Howard said. “We came in at the same time so we got to see each other through the four years continue to grow and get better on the court.”
And though the two only see each other twice during the season, maybe three times if they meet each other in the BIG EAST Tournament, they stay in constant contact throughout the season and the year.
“He’s definitely somebody who I talk to a good amount,” Howard said. “Me and him are pretty close so just to have somebody who you are close to like that from a competitive standpoint and also away from the court is good to have.”
When Powell injured his ankle in an early-season game, Howard was one of the first friends to reach out to him.
“Me and Markus are close friends off the court as well,” Powell said. “When I twisted my ankle we had a couple of Facetime calls where he was praying for me and stuff like that. I just love Markus. He’s a great guy.”
Powell and Howard are also big fans of each other. When one has a night off and the other is playing, it always makes for some Must-See TV for the idle one.
“Every chance I get to tune into a Marquette game I do just to see what he is going to do that night,” Powell said.
“I like watching a lot of teams in the BIG EAST but I know, especially when I have time and he’s playing, I’ll watch him,” Howard said. “First and foremost, as a competitor, I love to watch the games. But with him being a close friend of mine I want to be sure that I’m trying to support him the best I can. It’s definitely cool to see him play.”
Each player was expecting a torrent of texts from the other leading into Saturday’s game. A lot of fresh trash talk to be spewed before tipoff. So has anyone started yet?
“As the game gets closer I’m sure we’re going to both start talking a little bit of junk to each other,” Powell said with a laugh.
Howard, though, said so far all is quiet.
“We haven’t gone back and forth yet but I’m sure I’ll be getting a text or two from him,” Howard said. “I expect that coming from him. I know I’ll definitely hear from him.”
Saturday’s game will be the first of two regular-season matchups between the conference’s two elite players. The rematch will come at Marquette on Feb. 29, which will be the Golden Eagles’ Senior Day and Howard’s final collegiate home game. So these meetings are precious as both Powell’s and Howard’s careers have only a limited run left in them.
“It’s definitely meaningful being that it’s both of our last go-rounds,” Howard said. “You’re just trying to embrace it. Each and every time you step on that court it’s kind of your last go-round in that spot. So just to be able to share the court with him one, two or maybe three more times, it will be special. It’s going to be fun but it’s also going to be very competitive. I know it’s something that we’re both looking forward to.”