Marquette Men's Basketball Releases 2000-01 Schedule

Sept. 13, 2000

Milwaukee -- An appearance in the Preseason NIT, a minimum of 12 opponents that participated in post-season action a year ago, including two Final Four squads, a full-league slate in C-USA and 16 regular-season home games highlight the 2000-01 Marquette men's basketball schedule. The Golden Eagles are slated for at least nine national or regional telecasts with more to be added at a later date.

Second-year head coach Tom Crean and his team face a formidable schedule that includes at least eight squads that recorded 20 or more wins last season. Included in the 12 foes that played in post-season action in 1999-2000 are seven that advanced to the NCAA Tournament and five that participated in the NIT.

"We made a concerted effort to improve our schedule to give our players great challenges and to give our fans the opportunity to see us play a number of highly respected opponents," said Coach Crean. You don't take steps as a program unless you are willing to play some of the best teams and this schedule is reflective of that."

Highlighting the non-conference portion of the schedule is a Bradley Center date against intrastate foe and 2000 NCAA Final participant Wisconsin on Saturday, December 23 (1:00 p.m.), and a road test at another of last year's Final Four teams, North Carolina, on Saturday, Jan. 13 (Noon CST) in an ABC televised affair. The Badgers finished with an overall record of 22-14 last year and, with four starters returning from that team, should be one of the teams to beat in the Big Ten. North Carolina (22-14 in '99-00), led by a trio of preseason Wooden Award Candidates (Joseph Forte, Brendan Haywood and Jason Capel), along with first-year head coach Matt Doherty, looks to return to the Final Four for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The Golden Eagles open the regular season at home against South Alabama on Tuesday, Nov. 14, in the Preseason NIT. The Jaguars finished last year with an overall record of 20-12 and welcome back four starters from that squad. Should MU capture its season opener, it would meet either Indiana or Pepperdine in the second round on Tuesday, Nov. 17, both of whom won 20-plus game while advancing to last year's NCAA Tournament.

Marquette will host Atlantic-10 foe Massachusetts in an ESPN telecast on Monday, Nov. 20, starting at 6:00 p.m. The Minutemen, coached by Bruiser Flint, advanced to the NIT last season and figure to contend for the East Division crown this season.

MU plays the first of its three non-conference road games on Sunday, Nov. 26, when it visits Xavier at the newly opened Cintas Center. Last year, the Golden Eagles and Musketeers played a pair of emotional contests with MU winning at the Bradley Center, 65-63, before XU posted a 67-63 win at home in the NIT. Xavier, the owners of a 21-12 record in 1999-2000, claim three returning starters and will contend for the Western Division crown of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Golden Eagles return to the state of Ohio for its second non-league road contest when it tangles at Dayton on Saturday, Dec. 30. The Flyers finished 22-9 a year ago and earned a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

During the weekend of Dec. 1-2, Marquette hosts the Blue and Gold Coca Cola Championship. Joining the Golden Eagles in this year's tourney will be Centenary, Cal-State Northridge and Kent State (23-8 in '99-00). MU will open the tourney against Centenary on Friday while Kent State meets Cal-State Northridge. The Classic begins a six-game homestand for Marquette that will see it play host to Big Ten foe Minnesota (Dec. 7, 7:00 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Arena), Arkansas-Little Rock (Sat., Dec. 9, 1:00 p.m.), Western Carolina (Wed., Dec. 20, 7:00 p.m.) and Wisconsin.

Marquette opens its 16-game C-USA schedule at DePaul (Fox Sports Chicago) on Saturday, Jan. 6, starting at 1:00 p.m. Following its bout against the Blue Demons, Marquette returns home to clash with defending regular-season C-USA champion Cincinnati on Wednesday, Jan. 10 (7:00 p.m.). The Blue Demons and Bearcats combined for 50 wins while both capturing NCAA berths. Marquette will play back-to-back home league games on three occasions South Florida and Charlotte (Jan. 17 & 20), Tulane and Southern Miss (Jan. 27 & 30) and DePaul and Louisville (Feb. 22 & 24).

"I truly believe that we will have a better team than last season and only time will tell, with this schedule that we have, that whether or not it will be reflected in the team's record," said Crean.

Six of Marquette's C-USA games will be aired by either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Regional. The Golden Eagles will be on ESPN during the league season against Louisville (Feb. 8) and DePaul (Feb. 22) while its game at Cincinnati (Feb. 18) will aired by ESPN2. MU is on C-USA's ESPN Regional Game of the Weekend Package on three occasions, Jan. 20 vs. Charlotte, Feb. 3 at Memphis and Mar. 3 at Charlotte.

The Golden Eagles play the first of two exhibition games on Thursday, Nov. 2, when they host the California All Stars at 7:00 p.m., at the Bradley Center.

SEASON TICKETS GOING STRONG -- The Marquette Athletics Ticket Office has announced that men's basketball season ticket renewals are well over 96 percent for the season. In addition, many new season tickets and Super 7 mini-plans have been sold. Good seats are still available by calling the Marquette Ticket Office at 414/288-GOMU

2000-01 MARQUETTE MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Day Date        Opponent            Time        Site
Thu.    Nov. 2      CALIFORNIA ALL STARS (ex)   7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeThu.    Nov. 9      FOREIGN TEAM EXHIBITION     7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeTue.    Nov. 14     SOUTH ALABAMA#          7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeFri.    Nov. 17     (possible Preseason NIT 2nd round game)Mon.    Nov. 20     MASSACHUSETTS (ESPN)        6:00 p.m.   Milwaukee
Fri.-Sat.   Dec. 1-2BLUE AND GOLD COCA COLA CLASSIC             MilwaukeeFri.    Dec. 1      Kent State vs. Cal-State Northridge5:30 p.m.            Marquette vs. Centenary     8:00 p.m.Sat.    Dec. 2      Consolation         5:30 p.m.            Championship            8:00 p.m.Thu.    Dec. 7      MINNESOTA%          7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Dec. 9      ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK        1:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Dec. 16         at Xavier                       TBA             Cincinnati, OhioWed.    Dec. 20     WESTERN CAROLINA        7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Dec. 23     WISCONSIN           1:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Dec. 30     at Dayton           TBA     Dayton, OhioSat.    Jan. 6      at DePaul (Fox Sports Chicago)  1:00 p.m.   Chicago, Ill.Wed.    Jan. 10     CINCINNATI          7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Jan. 13     at North Carolina (ABC)     Noon        Chapel Hill, NCWed.    Jan. 17     SOUTH FLORIDA           7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Jan. 20     CHARLOTTE (ESPN Regional)   2:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeWed.    Jan. 24     at Saint Louis          7:00 p.m.   Saint Louis, Mo.Sat.    Jan. 27     TULANE              1:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeTues.   Jan. 30     SOUTHERN MISS           7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Feb. 3      at Memphis (ESPN Regional)  3:00 p.m.   Memphis, Tenn.Thur.   Feb. 8      at Louisville (ESPN)        8:00 p.m    Louisville, Kent.Sun.    Feb. 11     SAINT LOUIS         1:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeWed.    Feb. 14     at UAB              TBA     Birmingham, Ala.Sun.    Feb. 18     at Cincinnati (ESPN2)       8:00 p.m.   Cincinnati, OhioThur.   Feb. 22     DePAUL (ESPN)           8:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeSat.    Feb. 24     LOUISVILLE          7:00 p.m.   MilwaukeeWed.    Feb. 28     at Houston          TBA     Houston, Tex.Sat.    Mar. 3      at Charlotte (ESPN Regional)    Noon        Charlotte, NC

Times listed are Central

# Preseason NIT

% Game played at U.S. Cellular Arena

schedule subject to change