Marquette University Athletics
Marquette-Xavier Men's Basketball Release
3/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 13, 2000
1999-2000 MARQUETTE BASKETBALL
Golden Eagles (15-13) vs. Xavier (20-11)
Mar. 15, 2000 o Game #29
NIT
Game Data
Site - Cincinnati, Ohio o Cincinnati Gardens (10,100)
Tipoff - 6:35 p.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Basketball Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play, George Thompson, Analyst)
Television - None
Probable Marquette Starters
G #10 - Cordell Henry (So., 5-9, 160, Chicago, Ill.)
8.5 ppg, 3.42 apg, 1.11 spg
has treys in his last seven game
G #4 - John Cliff (Sr., 6-2, 210, Decatur, Ill.)
14.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.17 spg
team's leading scorer in each of the last four games (21.3 ppg)
F #22 - Brian Wardle (Jr., 6-5, 212, Clarendon Hills, Ill.)
17.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 45.3 FG%, 78.3 FT%
has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games
F #43 - Oluoma Nnamaka (So., 6-7, 213, Uppsala, Sweden)
8.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg
team's top board man in seven of last nine contests
C #35 - John Mueller (Jr., 6-11, 231, Cedarburg, Wis.)
4.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
80 defensive rebounds are No. 2 on the team
Probable Xavier Starters
F #34 - Lloyd Price (So., 6-5, 13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
F #44 - Aaron Turner (So., 6-7, 4.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
C #30 - David West (Fr., 6-8, 11.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg)
G #15 - Maurice McAfee (Jr., 6-0, 15.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
G #32 - Darnell Williams (Sr., 6-5, 13.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
The Records
The Golden Eagles head into their opening-round NIT game with an overall record of 15-13. Marquette finished C-USA action with an 8-8 overall record, good for fourth place in the American Division. MU has come out on the short end of its last two games including a 77-75 setback to Houston last Wednesday in the C-USA Tournament in Memphis. In that game, the Golden Eagles shot 53.8 percent from the field, its second-highest mark of the campaign, but saw the No. 12-seeded Cougars counter with 50 percent from the floor, including an opponent season high 71.4 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-7). MU trailed by one point at halftime and on six occasions during the second half faced just a single-point deficit. However, the Golden Eagles were never able to take the lead as Houston finished with the second highest scoring effort by an MU opponent this year. Senior John Cliff led MU's scoring attack for the fourth straight game with 22 points, his fifth effort of 20 or more points this year. Cliff hit eight-of-12 from the field including four-of-six from three-point range. In addition, he paced MU in rebounding with five caroms. Junior Brian Wardle totaled 20 points while sophomore Cordell Henry closed out the contest with 16 points and kept MU within striking distance by sinking four (tying his career high)-of-six from three-point range. In road/neutral games, Marquette stands 3-9. Xavier hosts Marquette with an overall record of 20-11. The Musketeers finished tied for second in the West Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference with a record of 9-7. In the Atlantic 10 Tournament, XU beat Rhode Island, 75-60, before losing to St. Bonaventure, 72-69.
NIT Scoop
This will be Marquette's 13th appearance in the NIT with the school posting an all-time mark of 19-11 in the event, 8-4 in opening-round games. Marquette's last appearance in the NIT came in 1998 when it defeated Creighton (80-68) and Auburn (75-60, ot) in Milwaukee before losing at Minnesota (73-71).
Notes and Nibbles
Through Mar. 11 Golden Eagles are No. 4 among C-USA squads in offensive rebounds per game (14.57 orpg) and finished third in league games only (14.44 orpg) ... MU finished with three conference road wins this year compared to just one a year ago ... Marquette has held 13 opponents to 60 or fewer points this season and stands 10-3 in those games ... The Golden Eagles have outshot 14 foes this year and post an 11-3 record in those games ... MU has outrebounded four of its last five opponents and shows a 37.0-27.2 per-game edge in that stretch ... Each of MU's last five foes have finished with less than 30 rebounds ... The Golden Eagles are 6-1 in games when they grab 40 or more rebounds.
Marquette Head Coach Tom Crean
Tom Crean was named Marquette's head coach on March 30, 1999. He is in his first season as a head coach after serving as an assistant for 10 seasons. His coaching resum? includes stops at Michigan State (1989-90), Western Kentucky (1990-94), Pittsburgh (1994-95) and most recently again at Michigan State (1995-99). He is a 1989 graduate of Central Michigan. Crean is assisted by Tim Buckley, Dwayne Stephens and Darrin Horn. Tom Crean's Marquette Record 15-13/1st season Tom Crean's Career Record 15-13/1st season
Scouting Xavier
Xavier averages 75.8 points per game (No. 2 in the Atlantic 10), while allowing 69.2 points (No. 7 in the league). The Musketeers have connected on 43.6 percent of their field goal opportunities (No. 3 in the A-10) while their opponents have converted on 43.9 percent. In the rebounding department, XU has outrebounded its opponents by a 38.6-33.2 per-game margin and holds down the No. 1 spot in the conference in rebound margin. Junior guard Maurice McAfee is the team's leading scorer with a 15.0 points per game mark, good for the 13th position among A-10 players. The 6-foot McAfee has scored in double figures in his last 13 games and in a total of 25 on the year. McAfee is a long-range threat as well, having knocked down 79 three-point field goals and ranking No. 5 in the Atlantic 10 in trey percentage (.389). McAfee also leads XU in assists (4.25 apg) and ranks as the A-10's top free throw shooter (.826). Second on the team in scoring is senior guard Darnell Williams with a 13.5 per-game average, good for 19th place in the conference. The 6-foot-5 Williams has 22 double-figure scoring games to his credit and has produced double-digit point production in his last 10 outings. Williams is another threat from the outside with 67 treys to his name and a No. 9 position in the Atlantic 10 in three-point field goal percentage (.372). Sophomore forward Lloyd Price is No. 3 in scoring with a 13.1 points per game mark while freshman frontliner David West rounds out the double-figure point producers for Xavier with an 11.7 per-game average. The 6-foot-8 West ranks as the team's and the Atlantic 10's top rebounder with a 9.1 per-game showing.
Xavier Coach Skip Prosser
Skip Prosser (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, `72) is in his sixth campaign as the head man at Xavier and posts a school and career record of 126-56. During his stint at XU, he has guided the program to five 20-plus win seasons and five postseason tournaments. In seven years as a college head coach, Prosser has compiled a career slate of 143-69.
Marquette Foes and the Postseason
A total of 11 treams that Marquette faced during the 1999-2000 season will be playing in either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT. Seven of those 11 earned NCAA berths (Wisconsin, 18-13, Dayton, 22-8, Louisville, 19-11, Saint Louis, 19-13, DePaul, 21-11, Cincinnati, 28-3 and Appalachian State, 23-8). Four of this year's oppoents are NIT bound - South Florida (17-13), Tulane (20-10), UNC Charlotte (17-15) and Xavier.
The Marquette-Xavier Series
Marquette has a 44-13 edge in the series against Xavier that started during the 1958-59 season. Earlier this year (Jan. 2), the Golden Eagles rallied from an 18-point deficit early in the second half and came away with a 65-63 win at the Bradley Center. Junior Brian Wardle and senior John Cliff led the way for Marquette in that game with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
This and That
Marquette's eight three-point field goals against Houston marked the sixth time in seven games that MU had converted six or more treys in a contest ... In the last seven games, Marquette is averaging 8.7 three-pointers vs. 4.1 for the opposition ... Golden Eagle opponents have attempted more free throws than Marquette in each of the last eight games ... So far this year, MU stands 7-13 when the opposition shoots more free throws, 7-0 when taking more attempts from the charity stripe than its foes ... Houston's 13-9 edge in offensive rebounds snapped a four-game streak where Marquette enjoyed an advantage in that department ... It also ended a nine-game streak where MU had grabbed 10 or more offensive boards ... The setback to Houston left Marquette's record at 0-6 this year when allowing 70 or more points ... After attempting 20 or more treys in five of its first 21 games, MU has taken 20-plus attempts from beyond the arc in six of its last seven games ... In the last four games, MU is shooting 43.7 percent (94-of-215) from the floor vs. 45.7 percent (92-of-201) for its foes ... The Golden Eagles have been outshot from the floor in six of their last seven contests ... Marquette has made five or more three-point field goals in 20 games this year while eight opponents have sunk five or more treys ... Marquette's last two opponents have shot 50 percent from the field, just the second time this year that the Golden Eagles have allowed back-to-back opponents to reach the 50 percent mark ... Of the eight opponents to shoot 50 percent or better vs. MU, just one (Louisville, Jan. 15) did it on the Golden Eagles' home floor ... The Golden Eagles are 14-0 when leading with 5:00 left to play ... Marquette has scored 40 or more points in a half on nine occasions this season compared to five for the opposition ... MU is 13-2 in games when it has attempted 15 or more free throws.
Marquette vs. Ranked Opponents
Marquette stands 2-2 in games vs. ranked opponents this year, dropping a pair of decisions to Cincinnati while defeating No. 21 DePaul (Jan. 12) and No. 25 Lou- isville (Jan. 15). Marquette's all-time record against nationally ranked foes (in the Associated Press poll) is 71-108, including a 17-49 slate on the road.
The Polling Place
Mar. 13 The RPI Report 67th
Mar. 13 Sagarin Ratings 79th
Nnamaka Hitting the Boards
Heading into NIT action, sophomore Oluoma Nnamaka has led or shared for the team's rebounding lead in three of the last four and in seven of the last nine games. Nnamaka's game-best nine boards vs. Tulane (Mar. 4) marked his 14th effort of six or more rebounds this year (23 GP). Against UAB (Mar. 1), he enjoyed a career-high tying 12 boards. Earlier this year he snared 12 rebounds against Louisville (Feb. 13). Through Mar. 11, Nnamaka holds down the No. 2 spot among C-USA players in offensive rebounds in overall play (3.43 orpg) while finishing second in league games (3.44)
Numbers To Watch
Cordell Henry is four assists shy of reaching 100 for the year ... Brian Wardle is 22 points of reaching 500 for the campaign.
Oh Yes They Call It A Streak
Marquette has made at least one three-point field goal in 346 consecutive games. The last game without a trey was against Wake Forest on Feb. 2, 1989. The Golden Eagles are shooting 38.8% (87-of-24) from beyond the arc away from home this season.
Bench Production
Marquette's bench is averaging 11.4 points and 12.4 rebounds. The reserves shoot 41.2% from the field, 26.9% from three-point range. Marquette's best scoring performance from its bench was in the season opener against Chicago State (Nov. 20) with 29 points. The reserves pulled down a season-high 20 rebounds against Coppin State (Dec. 29) and SLU (Jan. 5). MU subs have scored 15 or more points in 10 contests (four games of 20-plus points) and have hauled down 10 or more boards on 18 occasions.
Protecting the Lead
Marquette's loss at Tulane (Mar. 4) snapped an eight-game win streak when it led at halftime. So far this season, the Golden Eagles stand 12-2 when leading at halftime. The Baylor game (Dec. 11) is the other time that MU has lost after holding the lead at the break. Conversely, the Golden Eagles are 2-11 when trailing at the break. The Xavier (Jan. 2, 23-39) and South Florida (Feb. 24, 31-39) games are the two times that MU won after being behind at the break.
Defending the Three-Pointer
This season, Marquette's foes are shooting a league-low 27.3% from beyond the arc and are averaging 3.75 treys a game. Just six opponents - Cincinnati (Jan. 23) , Baylor, Coppin State, South Florida, Tulane and Houston (Mar. 8) -have shot 40% or better from long range. The Golden Eagles have held six foes under 20% from three-point territory. Minnesota was 0-5 from three-point territory on Nov. 23, the first time in 75 games a Marquette opponent failed to connect on the long-range shot.
Inside the Numbers
In Marquette's 15 wins, it holds a 40.1-28.7 per-game edge in rebounding (+11.4) ... In the squad's 13 setbacks, the Golden Eagles have been outboarded by a 34.6-33.8 per-game margin ... In the team's 13 losses, Marquette has allowed 68.2 points (scoring 58.8) and 45.0% shooting from the floor (shooting 39.9% in losses) ... Marquette has been a stingy host to its visitors, allowing just 56.9 points a game in 16 contests in Milwaukee... In Marquette's 13 defeats, the team has averaged 12.0 free throw attempts per game compared to 27.5 for the opposition... MU shows an 8-4 record when shooting 40 percent or better from three-point range ... Marquette has held opponents to less than 10 field goals in a half on 16 occasions ... The Golden Eagles have held opponents to 20 or fewer points in a half on seven occasions ... In its 15 victories, Marquette enjoys a 66.2-57.0 scoring advantage and has shot 43.5 percent from the floor while limiting the opposition to 38.6 percent.
Climbing the Career Charts
John Cliff and Brian Wardle rank among Marquette's top career three-point shooters. Here's a look at where they stand on the career statistical lists: Three-Point Field Goals 6. John Cliff 164 - 15 shy of 5th (T. Miller) 8. Brian Wardle 132 - 18 shy of tie for 7th Three-Point Field Goals Attempted 6. John Cliff 477 - 6 shy of 5th (Miller) 8. Brian Wardle 377 - 13 shy of 7th (Eford)
Twice as Nice
John Cliff (22 pts.) and Brian Wardle (20 pts.) combined for 42 of the squad's 75 points against Houston, marking the second time this year that the pair had scored 20 or more points in the same game. The other occasion came against Wisconsin (Dec. 23) when Wardle (28 pts.) and Cliff (25 pts.) accounted for 53 of Marquette's 74 points. On the season, the pair has accounted for 881 points, 50.1% of Marquette's scoring total. In addition, they have totaled 112 of the Golden Eagles' 171 three-point field goals (65.4%). In addition, they have combined to lead the team in scoring in 26 of MU's 28 contests Wardle and Cliff stand as Marquette's most prolific tandem of point producers since the 1993-94 season when Damon Key (515) and Jim McIlvane (449) totaled 964 points between them.
Taking Care of the Ball
Heading into the Xavier game, Marquette stands 5-2 this year when finishing with the same number or fewer turnovers than its opponent, 10-11 when having more miscues. The Golden Eagles have finished with more turnovers than their opponents in each of the last five games, averaging 15.8 in that stretch vs. 10.8 for the op
