As brackets were being filled in and national champions were being predicted, I walked with pride through the streets of Minneapolis, Detroit, and New York donning my Wisconsin and Marquette gear, ready to defend the state from which I came.

As the Final Four teams begin play this weekend, I am left with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. More importantly, however, I am left knowing the strength of Marquette and the reasons the Golden Eagles will emerge as this year’s national champions.

I could sum up this proposition of improbable victory with two words — but I won’t. Anyone who has seen Dwayne Wade play in person has felt the energy that radiates from this junior standout. Anyone who has watched Wade on TV can see that he is one of the best players in the nation, but if you see him in person there is something more. The things he does off-camera — the hustle, the incredible speed, the defensive pressure away from the ball, the never-give-up attitude. Quite simply, Dwayne Wade is an incredible specimen of basketball talent.

His first step is quick, his jumper is smooth and his hops are out of this world. At six-foot-four, he is pound for pound the best athlete in the college game and will make a poster out of anyone who attempts to stop him.

I agree with ESPN analyst Jay Bilas that “Wade is the real deal,” and after Marquette’s win over Kentucky even Dickey V. was saying, “It was never a contest as Wade was outstanding from the opening bell.”

The man can simply take over a basketball game. If he hits two jumpers in a row, there is nothing stopping him from dropping 20 straight points. When he is on he simply cannot be stopped.

The most dangerous thing about Marquette is that Wade gets all the attention while someone else will score a quiet 20 points. Marquette’s supporting cast plays with heart and determination before raw skill. It is comprised of a group of freshmen, a big man, a shooter and a gritty ball-handler.

The Golden Eagles (Warriors for those true fans) have a point guard in Travis Diener that knows how to handle the rock.

Kentucky press? What Kentucky press? Diener handles pressure like a Boeing 747 at 30,000 feet. The control and poise with which he plays are nothing short of remarkable. The sophomore plays like a senior and has the offensive abilities to complement Wade’s ferocious entourage.

Down-low Marquette has Robert Jackson. An underrated big man, the only senior on the team scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Marquis Estill of Kentucky who two days earlier dominated Wisconsin. Within five feet of the hoop Jackson has an array of moves and uses the glass to perfection.

In stark contrast to Jackson, 6-foot-10 freshman Steve Novak has found his touch from behind the 3-point line. Coming off of screens from the left side of the arch, his catch-and-shoot has become nearly automatic. In the tournament he is 14-20 and has hit big 3s in every game.

Marquette does have an array of freshmen coming off the bench, so you might think that foul trouble would spell doom for this team, but head coach Tom Crean has taught these kids how to play. In the last two tourney games, it has been this young group of bench players that has given Marquette the edge. Playing a few minutes here and there allows Marquette’s stars to effectively steal minutes of rest, while the opposing team fails to overwhelm the Eagles on the floor.

Marquette’s success this season has Golden Eagle fans reliving the 1977 title year at Marquette in which famed head coach Al McGuire took his team all the way. Upon its first trip to the Final Four since that season, Marquette has at its helm the most appreciative head coach in all of college basketball. Tom Crean addresses home crowds both before and after games to thank the fans, often standing on the scorer’s table to do so. The ghost of Al McGuire is undoubtedly watching over this Eagles team and with coach Crean leading the way they can’t be overlooked.

I’m a firm believer that you have to beat the best to be called the best, and when Marquette beat Kentucky they were the premier basketball program in the nation. Badger fans knew of the ‘Cat’s fiery first hand but also knew about the strength of the Eagles from earlier in the season. Now it’s time for Wisconsinites to set their differences aside and throw their brackets away. Marquette has brought pride to this state, and shortly after this weekend the Golden Eagles will be bringing home another national championship.