Coach Shaka Smart said he is excited about his new-look yet veteran-savvy Marquette team ahead of the No. 18 Golden Eagles’ season opener Monday against Stony Brook in Milwaukee.”A big part of that (transition) is getting our guys better,” Smart said at Big East media day last week. “Taking guys that played support roles around Tyler Kolek and also (Oso) Ighodaro and helping them grow into guys who can play larger roles this year.”Smart enters his fourth season at Marquette having compiled a 75-30 record. The team is fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance for the first time in 11 seasons, finishing 27-10 (14-6 Big East). Marquette’s stellar season saw a second straight trip to the Big East tournament championship game, losing to eventual national champion UConn, 73-57.Turning the page, Marquette returns vital pieces.These include senior guard Kam Jones, named to the preseason All-Big East first team, along with fellow senior guard Stevie Mitchell. Jones helped guide the Golden Eagles’ offense, averaging 17.2 points per game.Smart said he wants to see Jones take the next step toward becoming an NBA-caliber player.”I’m gonna give you guys something no one really knows (about Jones), all right,” Smart said. “He’s a better passer than you think. So, you’re gonna see this year a more dynamic playmaker in Kam Jones.”You got a little bit of a sneak peek of it when Tyler (Kolek) was out last year. Remember, he missed six games in the conference tournament and the regular season prior to that. (Jones) had 30 points and nine assists at Xavier in our last regular-season game, and that kind of gave you a sense of, ‘This guy can score and distribute at the same time.'”