Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Takes On Bearcats Of Cincinnati
2/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game Date - Feb. 18, 2001
Site - Cincinnati, Ohio -- Shoemaker Center (13,176)
Tipoff - 8:05 p.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Basketball Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play, George Thompson, Analyst)
Television - ESPN2 (Bob Carpenter, Play-by-Play, Larry Conley, Analyst)
Probable Marquette Starters (subject to change) G #4 - Cordell Henry (Jr., 5-10, 160, Chicago, Ill.) 12.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.9 apg -- Averaging 17.5 points in last four games
G #22 - Brian Wardle (Sr., 6-5, 205, Clarendon Hills, Ill.) 18.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg -- Team-high 26 points vs. UAB, 21 in the second half
F #43 - Oluoma Nnamaka (Jr., 6-7, 218, Uppsala, Sweden) 9.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg -- Averaging 14.3 points in his last three contests -- Shooting 51.7% from the floor (15-of-29)
F #2 - Odartey Blankson (Fr., 6-7, 205, Country Club Hills, Ill.) 6.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg -- First career double-double with career highs in points (14) and rebounds (12) vs. UAB
C #35 - John Mueller (Sr., 6-10, 240, Cedarburg, Wis.) 1.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg -- Has started 53 of the team's last 54 games
Probable Cincinnati Starters
F #23- Immanuel McElroy (Sr., 6-4, 195, 5.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
F # 1 - Jamaal Davis (Jr., 6-9, 227, 7.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
C #44 - B.J. Grove (So., 6-11, 260, 3.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
G #22 - Steve Logan (Jr., 6-0, 196, 17.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G #11 - Kenny Satterfield (So., 6-2, 186, 13.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
Series Notes -- Cincinnati holds a 19-11 advantage in the all-time series against Marquette that saw the first game played during the 1973-74 season ... In games played at Cincinnati, the Bearcats have won nine of 13 meetings including the last five ... MU's last win at UC came in 1995 ... Earlier this year (Jan. 10), Marquette rallied from a six-point deficit with 3:44 left and registered a 47-44 win at the Bradley Center ... Senior Brian Barone came off the bench to score a team-high 10 points to lead MU while also recording a team-best 7 boards.
Game Info
Looking to regroup following a loss at UAB, the Marquette basketball team faces a road test on Sunday (Feb. 18) when it plays at Cincinnati. The Shoemaker Center (13,176) will serve as the site of the 31st meeting between the schools and tipoff is slated for 8:05 p.m. ESPN2 will televise the game with Bob Carpenter handling the play-by-play and Larry Conley the analysis. Following the UC contest, Marquette will host DePaul on Thursday (Feb. 22) starting at 8:00 p.m.
The Records
The Golden Eagles head into their game against Cincinnati with an overall record of 12-10 including a 7-4 C-USA mark, good for a first-place tie with Cincinnati in the American Division. Marquette has dropped two of its last three games including a 72-66 decision at UAB on Wednesday. In that game, Marquette faced a three-point deficit at halftime before seeing the deficit grow to 10 points (54-64) with 4:40 on the clock. To their credit, the Golden Eagles responded with a determined 11-2 run, nine points coming from senior Brian Wardle, that narrowed the gap to just one point (65-66) with 32 ticks remaining. However, the Blazers held off the Golden Eagles by converting six-of-six from the foul line over the remainder of the game to claim their 10th home win in 13 decisions. Wardle finished the contest with a game-high 26 points, 21 in the second half. The 6-foot-5 Wardle hit 10-of-22 from the floor en route to his 10th contest of 20 or more points this season. Freshman Odartey Blankson turned in a solid performance by posting his first career double-double with 14 points and career-high 12 rebounds. The Golden Eagles turned in better marks in both field goal shooting (46.4% vs. 43.9%) and rebounding (38 vs. 30) than the Blazers but were hampered by 15 turnovers that led to 18 UAB points.
Cincinnati hosts Marquette with an overall record of 17-7 while showing a 7-4 slate in C-USA play. The Bearcats have won their last three contests including a 66-65 win at Memphis on Thursday. UC stands 9-2 in home games this season
Marquette To Host Al's Night on Feb. 22
The game against DePaul next Thursday (Feb. 22) will be "Al's Night" -- A Tribute to Coach McGuire. That evening Marquette University, former coaches and players will celebrate the life of the coach who guided the school to the 1977 NCAA national title.
A pre-game ceremony will be held where the court at the Bradley Center will be named after him. At halftime, the official name of the school's athletic facility will be made known. In addition, a special video will be shown chronicling the illustrious career of McGuire
Two limited edition keepsakes will be distributed to every fan in attendance that evening. As fans enter the Bradley Center, they will receive at lapel pin recognizing the evening. As they leave the building, each will receive an enlarged commemorative ticket for "Al's Night."
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 21-9 (20-7 at the Bradley Center, 1-2 at the Milwaukee Arena). He is 1-2 against Cincinnati. 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 27-24/2nd season Tom Crean's Career Record 27-24/2nd season
Marquette And The Boards
Marquette has outrebounded 11 opponents (10-2 in those contests) this season including six contests where it has finished with an advantage of 10 or more rebounds. The Golden Eagles have been outboarded in nine games this season (2-7). In MU's most recent game, it finished with a 38-30 advantage in the rebound department vs. UAB. The Golden Eagles hold a 34.0-31.5 per-game edge in rebounding and stand in the No. 6 (through games played Feb. 15) spot in C-USA in rebound margin (+2.5). 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.
Cincinnati Head Coach Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins (West Virginia, `77) is in his 12th year as head coach of Cincinnati and heads into Sunday's game with a school ledger of 293-93. He has directed UC to league titles and NCAA appearances in each of the last nine seasons. Now in his 20th year as a head coach, Huggins has a career mark of 461-165. He is the nation's sixth-winningest active coach in won-loss percentage and 26th in victories.
Golden Eagles Continue Fine Foul Shooting
While Marquette's 10 free throw attempts vs. UAB represented the second-fewest in a league game this year, the Golden Eagles sank eight of those for an 80% mark, the team's eighth straight contest of 70 percent or better from the foul line. MU holds down the No. 1 position in the conference in free throw percentage (.706) in overall action and also stands first in that category in conference tilts with a 76.1% effort. Over the last eight games, the Golden Eagles have connected on 78.6 percent (162-of-206) from the line.
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 (#1 North Carolina and #20 Wisconsin) while two others received votes. Through Feb. 15, Marquette, ranked 77th in the RPI, has played five teams that rank among the top 50 squads in the country according to the RPI, four of which are in the top 35.
Other Notes From the UAB Game
Odartey Blankson's double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds marked the fifth time this season that a Marquette player had posted a double-double .... Senior John Mueller's six points and six rebounds (17 min.) both tied season highs ... Marquette's 15 turnovers against the Blazers was the highest in a conference game this year and the most miscues since 18 against Dayton (Dec. 30) ... The Golden Eagles registered 16 offensive boards, the fith time this year that they finished with 15 or more rebounds on the offensive glass.
Wardle Figures in MU Career Categories
In addition to his career point production, Brian Wardle also figures among the Marquette top 10 career performers in a number of categories. Entering the Cincinnati game, he is 5th in career three-pointers (182), No. 4 in three-point attempts (505) and No. 6. in free throw percentage (80.3%).
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 22 games, recording a total of 495 attempts from the charity stripe (22.5/per game) MU has attempted 23 or more from the foul line in 13 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 24-10 in contests when finishing with 15 or more free throw attempts (11-8 this year). After 22 games last year, MU had attempted 382 free throws.
MU Tidbits
Through games played Feb. 15, MU holds down the No. 2 spot in C-USA in scoring defense (63.8 ppg) ... After 22 games last season, the Golden Eagles had converted 247 free throws compared to 342 this year ... In the last four games, Marquette holds a 35.0-33.3 margin in rebounding ... In the last four contests, opponents have a slight 13.8-12.8 edge in offensive rebounds ... MU has held the opposition to 10 or fewer field goals in a total of 17 of 44 halves ... MU has allowed just seven halves of 50 percent or better from the floor (UMASS, 50% in the 2nd half, Cincinnati, 50, 1st half, S. Florida, 50%, 1st half, Saint Louis, 50.%, 2nd half, So. Miss, 50.0%, 2nd half, Louisville, 56%, 2nd half & Saint Louis (2/11), 51,6%, 2nd half) ... MU has registered nine games of six or more steals ... Marquette is 5-0 this year when recording 15 or more assists, 12-3 during Crean's tenure.
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. Feb. 19 Mon. Mar. 5Mon. Feb. 26 Mon. Mar. 12Inside the Numbers
Marquette has trailed at halftime in 10 of the last 14 games ... After being outscored in the second half in five of its first seven games, Marquette has outscored the opposition during the second half in 11 of the last 15 games ... Last season after 22 games, Marquette was averaging 15.9 turnovers per game compared to this year's mark of 13.4. ... In Marquette's 12 wins, it holds a 35.8-28.3 per-game edge in rebounding (+7.5) ... In the squad's 10 losses, the Golden Eagles are being outrebounded by a a 35.4-31.8 margin ... Through 22 games, Marquette's opponents are averaging 11.8 turnovers per game ... 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 14 games and stands 6-8 in those contests, 5-2 when registering fewer miscues ... Marquette has outshot 14 of its 24 opponents from the floor and is 10-4 in those games ... MU posts a 12.3 -11.8 per-game advantage in offensive rebounds, and claims 17 games of 10 or more offensive rebounds this year ... Marquette is averaging 27.8 points during the first half of play (27.5 for the opposition) and 36.6 during the second half (36.2 for opponents) ... MU has held opponents to 20 or fewer points in a half on four occasions ... In its 12 victories, MU enjoys a 68.2-58.8 scoring advantage and has shot 44.8 percent (272 of-607) from the floor while limiting the opposition to 39.8 percent (253-of-635) ... In the 10 setbacks, MU has been outscored by a 60.0-69.9 margin ... MU is 7-3 when leading at halftime ... Marquette is averaging 13.3 assists in its 11 wins, 8.6 in losses.
Brian Wardle Notes
Enters the UC contest with two or more treys in nineof his last 10 games ... Named C-USA Player of the Week (Jan. 7) after totaling 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting vs. DePaul ... In five conference road games, is averaging 21.0 points and shooting 50.0% from three-point range ... No. 4 in C-USA in scoring in league (19.8 ppg) games through Feb. 15 ... Averaging 18.5 points and shooting 45.2 percent from the floor in MU's 12 wins ... Has 10 games of 20 or more points this year and 26 during his career ... No. 4 in 3pt. FG% (.455) in C-USA contests through Feb. 15 ... No. 6 in C-USA in fre throw% in overall contests (.820).
Streaks & Last Time It Happened
Consecutive Games - Cordell Henry - 79
Consecutive Starts - Brian Wardle - 59
Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games - Brian Wardle - 10
Consecutive Games with a Three-Pointer - Brian Wardle - 10
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Scored 30+ Points - Brian Wardle (32) vs. Southern Miss, - Jan. 30, 2001
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Scored 20+ Points - Brian Wardle (26) vs. UAB - Feb. 14, 2001
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Rebounds - Odartey Blankson (12) vs. UAB - Feb. 14, 2001
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 15+ Rebounds - Jarrod Lovette (15) vs. Louisville - Feb. 20, 1997
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had a Double-Double (Points-Rebounds) - O. Blankson (14-12) vs. UAB - Feb. 14, 2001
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Assists - Cordell Henry (11) vs. Tulane - Jan. 27, 2001
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Made 12 or More Free Throws - Brian Wardle (16) vs. Charlotte - Feb. 13, 1999
The Last Time a Marquette Team Had Five or Fewer Turnovers - (5) vs. Cincinnati - Mar. 10, 1996
The Last Time An Opponent Scored 40+ points - Larry Hughes (40) - St. Louis - Jan. 24, 1998
The Last Time an Opponent Scored 30+ Points - Altron Jackson (35) - South Florida - Jan. 17, 2001
The Last Time an Opponent Scored 20+ Points - P.J. Arnold (22) - UAB - Feb. 14, 2001
The Last Time an Opponent Had 10+ Rebounds - Kelly Wise (12) - Memphis - Feb. 2, 2001
The Last Time an Opponent Had 15+ Rebounds - Cam Stephens (15) - Charlotte - Jan. 20, 2001
The Last Time an Opponent Had a Double-Double (Points-Rebounds) - Kelly Wise (12-12) - Memphis - Feb. 2, 2001
The Last Time an Opponent Had 10+ Assists - Edwin Young (10) - Dayton - Nov. 28, 1998
The Last Time an Opponent Made 12 or More Free Throws - Vandarel Jones (12) - Southern Miss - Jan. 30, 2001
The Last Time A Marquette Opponent Had 5 or Fewer Turnovers - S. Florida (5) - Feb. 22, 1998
