Marquette University Athletics
Marshall Williams Joins The Marquette Basketball Program
5/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 19, 2000
Milwaukee, WI -- Marquette Head Men's Basketball Coach Tom Crean has announced that Marshall Williams, a former standout from Vincent High School in Milwaukee, has accepted a scholarship offer from the Golden Eagles. Williams will become eligible to play for Marquette in 2001-02 following his transfer from North Carolina State University. He will be able to practice with MU during the 2000-01 season.
Williams, 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, appeared in 20 games as a freshman for North Carolina State this past year and averaged 19.9 minutes, 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures in five games including a season-high 17 points against Liberty (Dec. 17). Williams made his first of two starting assignments against Yale (Dec. 28) and responded with 10 points and five steals in 26 minutes. Against Duke (Jan. 19), he scored a dramatic basket off an intentional miss of a free throw that sent the game into overtime and finished that contest with 12 points. His season was cut short when he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a partial tear of meniscus cartilage on Feb. 9, forcing him out of action for the final 14 contests of the year.
"We are excited that Marshall has joined the Marquette basketball program," said Crean. "He owns a number of strong attributes that should help raise the level of our program. He is an excellent athlete with good offensive skills and combines that with a hard-nosed mind set on the defensive end of the floor. Just his presence in a practice setting will help us prepare for some of the challenges that await us next year."
One of the most highly regarded prep players ever to come out of the state of Wisconsin, Williams was named the state's Mr. Basketball Award winner by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He was the first player in state history to be named all-state three times and earned first-team selections as a junior and senior. A four-year varsity starter, he led Vincent HS to a 96-10 record during his career and three Wisconsin Interscholastic Association Division I state titles. As a senior (1998-99), he averaged 17.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in helping his team to a record of 22-4 and a berth in the state semifinals. In addition, he was named a fourth-team Parade Magazine All-American. He was rated the nation's No. 28 prospect by analyst Bob Gibbons, No. 32 by HoopScoop and No. 42 by Recruiter's Handbook.
