Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Cagers Host South Florida On Wednesday
1/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Date -- Jan. 17, 2001
Site - Milwaukee, Wis. -- Bradley Center (18,582)
Tipoff - 7:05 p.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Basketball Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play, George Thompson, Analyst)
Television - None Locally
Probable Marquette Starters (subject to change)
G #4 - Cordell Henry (Jr., 5-10, 160, Chicago, Ill.) 10.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.3 apg --13 assists and just four turnovers in last three games
G #22 - Brian Wardle (Sr., 6-5, 205, Clarendon Hills, Ill.) 17.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg -- Double-figure scorer in 11 games this year
F #43 - Oluoma Nnamaka (Jr., 6-7, 218, Uppsala, Sweden) 8.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg --Team's top rebounder in N. Carolina game with five
F #2 - Odartey Blankson (Fr., 6-7, 205, Country Club Hills, Ill.) 5.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg -- Team high 44 defensive rebounds
C #35 - John Mueller (Sr., 6-10, 240, Cedarburg, Wis.) 2.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg -- Has started 44 of the team's last 45 games
Probable South Florida Starters
F #4 - Cedric Smith (Sr., 6-6, 218, 10.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
F #14 - B.B. Waldon (Jr., 6-8, 210, 18.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
C #20 - Gerrick Morris (Fr., 6-10, 205, 2.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G #2 - Sam Sanders (Sr., 6-4, 219, 4.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
G #35 - Reggie Kohn (So., 6-1, 162, 5.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
Series Notes -- Marquette holds an 8-2 record in the all-time series against South Florida that started during the 1986-87 season ... In games played in Milwaukee, MU stands 4-1 against the Bulls ... Last year, the Golden Eagles snapped a two-game losing streak against USF with a 61-60 win at Tampa.
Game Info
After closing out the non-conference portion of the schedule at North Carolina last Saturday, the Marquette basketball team resumes C-USA play when it hosts South Florida on Wednesday evening (Jan. 17). The Bradley Center (18,582) will serve as the site of the 11th meeting between the Golden Eagles and Bulls and tipoff is slated for approximately 7:05 p.m. (CST). Following the game vs. South Florida, Marquette hosts Charlotte on Saturday (Jan. 20) in a 2:00 p.m. start. Starting with South Florida, Marquette will play four of its next five games at home.
The Records
The Golden Eagles check into the South Florida game with an overall record of 7-6, 2-0 in C-USA action. Marquette will be looking to get back on the winning track following an 84-54 setback to No. 9-ranked North Carolina last Saturday in Chapel Hill. In that game, the Golden Eagles fell behind by a 42-24 margin at halftime as cold shooting from the floor (27.6 percent) hampered MU's cause. Aiding in UNC's effort during the first half was a 20-8 advantage in foul shot attempts. In the second half, the Tar Heels used strong play on the boards while continuing to hold Marquette in check from the field to extend their lead. During the final 20 minutes of action, UNC enjoyed a 29-11 bulge in the rebounding department en route to a decisive 50-26 final total on the glass. MU hit just 31.2 percent of its field goal opportunities in the second half and finished the game with a season-low effort of 29.5 percent. Senior Brian Wardle finished the game with a team-high 17 points while junior Cordell Henry was the other MU player to muster double digits in points with 15. Freshman Odartey Blankson contributed nine points while junior Oluoma Nnamaka recorded a team-high five rebounds.
South Florida (11-4, 3-0 C-USA) comes to town as one of the hottest teams in C-USA with wins in its last three and in nine of its last 10 encounters. In USF's most recent game, it posted an 85-70 win at home over Tulane last Saturday. In seven road games, USF has a 4-3 record.
Marquette Tough on the Trey
After seeing its first two opponents shoot 39.2 percent (11-of-28) from three-point range, Marquette has held its last 11 foes to a combined 25.0 percent (50-of-200). The Golden Eagles have held their last five foes to under 30 percent from three-point range, four of those to 25 or less percent. Cincinnati shot 23.1% from beyond the arc (entered game shooting 32.0%) against Marquette, and DePaul just 16.7 percent (3-of-18) compared to its standard of 37.3 percent prior to the game. North Carolina finished at 29.4% vs. 35.4 percent prior to the game. As of Jan. 14, Marquette was No. 1 in C-USA in three-point field goal percentage defense (.256).
Marquette Head Coach Tom Crean
Tom Crean is in his second season as the head coach of the Golden Eagles' program. In his initial year, Crean (Central Michigan, `89) guided Marquette to an overall record of 15-14 that included a berth to the NIT, the school's 13th appearance in that tournament. In C-USA play, Crean led MU to an 8-8 record, good for fourth place in the American Division. In games played in Milwaukee, Crean stands 18-7 (17-5 at the Bradley Center, 1-2 at the Milwaukee Arena). Prior to being named the school's head coach on March 30, 1999, he served 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).
Tom Crean's Marquette Record 22-20/2nd season Tom Crean's Career Record 22-20/2nd season
Marquette Hitting The Boards
Marquette has outrebounded eight opponents this season including six contests where it has finished with an advantage of 10 or more rebounds. The Golden Eagles have been outboarded in four games this season. Marquette finished with a 36-24 edge in rebounds in the Cincinnati game (Jan. 10). The Golden Eagles hold a 35.2-30.8 per-game edge in rebounding and head ito the South Florida game in the No. 3 spot among C-USA teams in rebound margin. Since Tom Crean has been Marquette's head coach, the Golden Eagles have outrebounded 15 opponents by 10 or more caroms and show a 13-2 record in those contests.
South Florida Head Coach Seth Greenberg
Seth Greenberg (Farleigh Dickinson, `78) is in his fifth year as the head coach of the South Florida program and enters the MU game with a school record of 67-64. In 11 seaons as a head coach, which includes a stint at Long Beach State (1990-91 through 1995-96), Greenberg has a career record of 172-134. He is 2-2 all-time vs., Marquette.
Career Numbers To Watch For
Brian Wardle needs one rebound to reach 400 in his career ... Wardle ranks as the most experienced Golden Eagle cager with 101 games under his belt ... Junior Jon Harris is three field goals shy of the 100 career mark ... Cordell Henry is 12 assists shy of reaching 250 in his career ... Entering the South Florida contest, Henry is shooting 42.2 percent from the floor compared to his mark of 34.6 entering the 2000-01 campaign ... Henry needs 13 minutes of action to reach 2,000 in his career ... Junior Oluoma Nnamaka needs 23 points to hit the 500 mark in his career.
Marquette Faces Formidable Schedule in 2000-01
Marquette faces one of the most challenging schedules in the history of the program in 2000-01, playing a minimum of 12 opponents that participated in postseason play last year including two Final Four teams (Wisconsin and North Carolina). The Golden Eagles will play at least eight teams that recorded 20 or more wins during 1999-2000. Two MU opponents are in this week's USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll (#6 North Carolina and #18 Wisconsin) while six others received votes including Cincinnati (No. 27). As of Jan. 14, Marquette has played or will play seven teams that rank among the top 50 squads in the country according to the RPI.
Marquette Bench Answers The Call
After 13 games, the Marquette bench owns a 212-188 scoring edge (16.3 ppg vs. 14.5 ppg) against the opposition reserves. The Golden Eagle bench has outscored their counterparts in eight games, with Minnesota (16-19), Xavier (11-16), Wisconsin (10-25), Dayton (16-20) and North Carolina (9-33) the teams to have its subs score more than the MU subs.
Marquette and the Foul Line
A goal of this year's MU team is to get to the foul line more and the Golden Eagles have accomplished that after 13 games, recording a total of 270 attempts from the charity stripe (20.7/per game) MU has attempted 23 or more from the foul line in six games including 39 vs. UMASS, the most attempts by a Crean-coached MU squad, and 36 vs. Centenary. During Crean's tenure, the Golden Eagles stand 19-7 in contests when finishing with 15 or more free throw attempts (6-5 this year). After 13 games last year, MU had attempted 236 free throws.
MU Tidbits
Despite giving up a season-high 84 points to North Carolina last Saturday, Marquette holds down the No. 2 spot in C-USA and is 13th nationally in scoring defense (60.2 ppg) ... UNC's 31 free throws were the most against a Marquette team this season ... After 13 games last season, the Golden Eagles had converted 145 free throws compared to 175 this year ... MU has held the opposition to 10 or fewer field goals in a total of 13 of 26 halves ... MU has allowed just two halves of of 50 percent or better from the floor (UMASS, 50% in the 2nd half& Cincinnati, 50, 1st half) ... MU has registered six games of six or more steals ... Marquette is 3-0 this year when recording 15 or more assists.
Marquette in the Bradley Center
The Golden Eagles are in their 13th season in the Bradley Center. Marquette has a 146-57 all-time record (6-3 this year) there.
Tom Crean Radio Show Dates
The Tom Crean Radio Show can be heard locally on WISN (1130 AM). The show is hosted by the voice of Marquette Basketball, Steve "The Homer" True, and can be heard from 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. The following is a list of dates that the show can be heard.
Mon. Jan. 15 Mon. Feb. 12 Mon. Jan. 22 Mon. Feb. 19 Mon. Jan. 29 Mon. Feb. 26 Mon. Feb. 5 Mon. Mar. 5 Mon. Mar. 12
Inside the Numbers
Marquette has faced a halftime deficit in its last five games (2-3) ... After being outscored in the second half in five of its first seven games, Marquette has outscored the opposition during the second half in the last five of the last six games ... In Marquette's seven wins, it holds a 38.7-26.4 per-game edge in rebounding (+12.3) ... In the squad's six losses, the Golden Eagles are being outrebounded by a a 36.0-31.0 margin ... Through 13 games, Marquette is averaging 14.0 turnovers compared to the opposition's mark of 12.7 ... Marquette's seven turnovers in the DePaul game (Jan. 6) represented a season low and tied the fewest number by a Crean-coached MU team... MU has turned the ball over
more than its foes in eight games and stands 4-4 in those contests, 2-2 when registering fewer miscues ... Marquette has outshot seven of its 13 opponents from the floor and is 5-2 in those games ... MU posts a 13.2 -10.9 per-game advantage in offensive rebounds, and claims 10 games of 10 or more offensive rebounds this year ... In the last five games, MU has attempted 70 free throws (45 makes) compared to the opposition's total of 122 attempts (90 makes) ... MU has held opponents to 20 or fewer points in a half on four occasions ... In its seven victories, MU enjoys a 63.6-54.5 scoring advantage and has shot 42.2 percent (154-of-351) from the floor while limiting the opposition to 37.6 percent (130-of-345) ... In the six setbacks, MU has been outscored by a 55.5-66.7 margin ... MU is 4-2 when leading at halftime ... Marquette is averaging 13.4 assists in their seven wins, 8.5 in losses.
Marquette Leads C-USA In Nailbiters
After 13 games, Golden Eagles have played a league-high seven games that have been decided by five or fewer points. The next closest schools are Cincinnati and Louisville with five outings decided by five or fewer points. Close games have become a part of Marquette's routine during the Coach Crean era with 17 of his 42 games being decided by five or fewer points. This year, MU is 4-3 in such games while posting a 8-9 record during Crean's tenure.
This and That
Marquette has attempted more free throws than its opponents in five games and stands 4-1 in those contests, 11-1 during Crean's tenure as head coach ... The Golden Eagles have two or more blocked shots in 10 of 13 games this season ... Marquette has not allowed any of its first 13 opponents to reach the 50 percent plateau from the floor this year and holds down the No. 4 spot among league squads in FG% defense (.394) ... In the last three games, Marquette is shooting 37.4 percent (64-of-171) from the floor vs. 39.0 percent (57-of-146) for the opposition ... In the last four games, Marquette opponents are shooting 33.3 percent from the floor (40-120) during the second half of play ... A win by MU over USF would give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 record in C-USA play for the first time ever.
MARQUETTE PLAYER NOTES
# 2 Odartey Blankson
* Has started 12 of 13 MU contests -- 24.0 minutes per game
* No. 2 on team in rebounding (5.2 rpg) * Nine points, three boards vs. North Carolina (Jan. 13)
* 12 points vs. W.Carolina (12/20) was second double-figure scoring effort of the year
* Team's top rebounder in three games
* 11 points, team-best nine boards vs. Minnesota (Dec. 7)
# 4 Cordell Henry
* Team's second-high scorer vs. N. Carolina with 13 points, his sixth double-figure effort of the year.
* Career-high tying seven assists vs. DePaul (Jan. 6) while scoring 13 points
* Season-high 21 points vs. Western Carolina -- hit 7-of-10 from the floor in that game (3-of-3 in treys)
* Ten straight games with at least one steal -- has team-high 15 thefts to his credit
* Blue & Gold Coca-Cola Classic All-Tourney Team, averaging 13.0 points and 3.5 assists in two games
* No. 1 on team in assists (3.3 apg)
* Six assists, nine points vs. Cal State Northridge (12/2)
* Notched 17 pts. vs. Centenary, 14 in the second half
# 5 Scott Merritt
* Three points vs. North Carolina
* 11 points, second-high on the team, and five boards vs. Dayton (12/30)
* Has four double-figure scoring games
* First double-double of career with 11 points and season-best 13 rebounds vs. Western Carolina
* No. 3 on the team in rebounding (5.0 rpg)
* 31 offensive rebounds are No. 2 on the team and rank him 15th place among C-USA players
* Team-best 14 blocked shots -- has blocked shots in 12 games
* Picked up season-high 12 points vs. UALR (12/9)
# 12 Brian Barone
* Tied Marquette career-high with 10 points and led team with career-best seven rebounds vs. Cincinnati (Jan. 10)
* Averaging 16.7 minutes through the first 13 games, 24.3 mpg in the last three
* Played 24 minutes at DePaul (Jan. 6) and came up with three points and season-high four assists
* Has scored in five of last six games
* Has seven games of two or more assists
* Played 20 minutes vs. UMASS and scored seven points
# 55 Greg Clausen
* Has seen action in 11 games
* Has scored in five of his last seven outings
* Season-high four rebounds vs. DePaul (Jan. 6)
# 22 Brian Wardle
* Registered a team-high 17 points vs. N. Carolina, 11th double-figure scoring effort of the season
* Averaging 19.0 points in last four games
* Season-high 27 points vs. DePaul (Jan. 6), hitting 11-of-16 from the floor (5-of-6 treys)
* 19-point 2nd halves vs. Dayton and DePaul
* Game-high 25 points vs. Dayton (12/30)
*
Team-high 21-points vs. Xavier
* Has five contests of 20 or more points including 26 vs. UMASS and 23 vs. CS Northridge
* Team's top scorer in eight of 13 contests
* MVP of Blue & Gold Coca-Cola Classic with 37 points and10 rebounds vs. Centenary and CS Northridge
* Has eight games of two or more treys
# 34 Jon Harris
* Eight points, five boards, all on offensive end (24 min.) vs. Cincinnati (Jan. 10)
* Team-high six rebounds vs. Dayton (12/30), the second time this season he has led team
* Has four games of six or more rebounds
* Shooting 63.0 percent from the floor (29-of-46)
* 4-of-5 from the field en route to 8 points vs. Western Carolina (12/20)
* Tied with Merritt for team's lead in rebounding vs. UMASS with nine
* Six offensive boards vs. Minnesota and finished with eight in that contest
* Season-high 10 points vs. Centenary
# 35 John Mueller
* Has started all 13 MU games
* Scored in nine appearances including season-best six points vs. UC (Jan. 10) in 19 minutes
* Three boards vs. DePaul (Jan. 6) in 10 minutes
* Five rebounds vs. UMASS (11/20)
* Season-high six rebounds in season opener vs. South Alabama
# 43 Oluoma Nnamaka
* Team's top board man vs. North Carolina with five
* Nine points, six boards in 34 mins. vs. Cincinnati (1/10)
* Team-best 11 pts. vs. Wisconsin and tied for team honors with six boards
* No. 1 on the team in rebounding with a 5.6 per-game mark
* 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds vs. Xavier
* Has scored in double figures in five games
* First double-double of the year (fourth of his career) with 11 points and 11 rebs. vs. UALR
* 33 offensive rebounds are No. 1 on the team and 12th in C-USA (2.54 orpg)
* Season-best 14 points vs. CS Northridge (12/2)
# 33 David Diggs
* Has played in 10 of MU's 13 games
* Hit first trey of the season and finished with three points vs. Western Carolina (12/20)
