Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Basketball Faces Tuesday Road Test At Tulane
1/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2003
Game Data
Site - New Orleans, La. * Fogelman Arena (3,600)
Game Date - Jan. 14, 2003
Tipoff - 7:05 p.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play) -- website: www.newstalk1130.com
Television - WMLW (Ch. 41); (Chris Roth, Play-by-Play; George Thompson, Analysis
Probable Marquette Starters (subject to change)
G #34 - Travis Diener (So., 6-1, 165, Fond du Lac, Wis.) 10.2 ppg; 2.8 rpg, 6.30 apg -- Double-figure scorer in last five -- career-high 12 assists vs. South Florida tied Marquette record for C-USA game
G #3 - Dwyane Wade (Jr., 6-5, 210, Robbins, Ill.) 22.5 ppg; 5.8 rpg; 4.07 apg -- C-USA leading scorer -- has nine games of 20 or more points this year -- Leads team in steals (23)
F #5 - Scott Merritt (Jr., 6-10, 245, Wauwatosa, Wis.) 10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg -- Double-figure scorer in last three games; averaging 14.3 points in that stretch
F #1 - Todd Townsend (So., 6-7, 215, Chicago, Ill.) 7.0 ppg; 3.1 rpg -- Shooting 56.6 percent (17-of-30) from field in last five contests -- No. 2 on squad with 18 treys
F #55 - Robert Jackson (Sr., 6-10, 260, Milwaukee, Wis.) 16.3 ppg; 7.8 rpg -- Double-figure scorer in each of the team's first 13 games -- Shooting team-high 59.6 percent
Probable Tulane Starters (subject to change)
F # 5 - Brandon Brown (Sr., 6-8, 230, 14.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.07 apg)
F #15 - Nick Sinville (Sr., 6-6, 230, 11.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
G # 2 - Brandon Spann (Sr., 6-1, 185, 12.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.64 apg)
G # 3 - Waitari Marsh (Sr., 6-3, 195, 13.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
G #45 - Wayne Tinsley (Jr., 6-5, 218, 4.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Series Notes - Marquette holds a 13-3 advantage in the all-time series that saw the first game played on Feb. 26, 1969. Marquette has won the last three meetings including 68-66 verdict last year at Fogelman Arena.
Statistical Comparison
Game Info
Marquette TulaneScoring Avg. 81.8 ppg 73.6 ppgScoring Def. 68.2 ppg 65.4 ppgScoring Margin +13.6 ppg +8.2Rebounding Avg. 37.9 rpg 36.3 rpgReb. Margin +6.4 -0.2FG% 50.5% 47.3%Opp FG% 40.2% 40.4%3 Pt. FG% 37.3% 38.8%FT% 73.9% 65.9%
After capturing its C-USA home opener this past Saturday, the Marquette basketball team starts a busy week of road play when it ventures to Tulane for a Tuesday (Jan. 14) night battle. Fogelman Arena (3,600) on the Tulane campus will be the setting for the 17th meeting between the two schools and tipoff is slate for 7:05 p.m.
The MU-Tulane game can be seen locally on WMLW-TV (Ch. 41). Handling the play-by-play will be Chris Roth while George Thompson provides commentary.
Following Tuesday's action, the Golden Eagles will play at Charlotte on Saturday (Jan. 18) starting at 6:05 p.m.
The Records
Marquette, ranked 24th in last week's Associated Press Poll and 23rd by ESPN/USA Today, takes a 10-3 overall record (2-1 C-USA) into the Tulane game. In its most recent performance, Marquette registered a decisive 96-63 win at home over South Florida on Saturday, the program's 24th consecutive win on its home court.
In that game, the Golden Eagles held a 13-8 lead in the first half before exploding for a 23-3 run that increased its advantage to 36-11 with 4:47 remaining in the opening half. MU would go on to a 43-20 margin at halftime. During the first 20 minutes of action, the Golden Eagles shot 53.3 percent from the floor (16-of-30) while holding the Bulls to 27.3 percent (6-of-22). In addition, MU held a 19-11 cushion on the glass and parlayed 12 USF turnovers into 17 points.
In the second half, Marquette continued its offensive attack, hitting on 63.0 percent (17-of-27) of its field goal opportunities en route to notching 53 points. Junior Dwyane Wade scored 13 of his game-high 21 points during the final half while junior Scott Merritt chalked up 11 of his 13 points. Freshman Steve Novak went five-of-seven from the field during the course of the contest, including three-of-five from beyond the arc en route to a season-high 15 points. Rounding out the team's double-figure scorers were senior Robert Jackson (11 pts.) and sophomore Travis Diener (13 pts.). Diener also doled out a career-high 12 assists. Marquette concluded the contest with a healthy 38-27 bulge in the rebounding department and was led in that category by junior Terry Sanders who posted a career-best seven.
Tulane hosts Milwaukee with a record of 7-7 (0-1 C-USA). The Green Wave last played on Jan. 7 when it dropped an 85-73 decision at Memphis.
Marquette Team and Individual C-USA Records Established in South Florida Game
Marquette established a number of team records for a Conference USA game this past Saturday. The 96 points represented the most by a Golden Eagles' squad in league play, bettering the previous standard of 87 set against DePaul last year. In addition, MU's 33 field goals set a record for the most in a league contest, besting the previous effort of 31 set on three occasions. The squad's 57.9 field goal percentage (33-of-57) surpassed the previous record of 55.4 percent and the Golden Eagles' 26 assists established a record as well, moving ahead of the 23 assists against DePaul in 1997.
Individually, Travis Diener's 12 assists tied him with Aaron Hutchins+- (twice) for the school record in that category in conference affairs. It was Diener's second contest this year of 10 or more assists and his 6.30 assists per-game average is No. 2 among C-USA players (through Jan. 11).
Marquette Head Coach Tom Crean
Tom Crean is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Golden Eagles' program. Named the 2001-02 C-USA Coach of the Year, the first MU coach to be afforded that honor, Crean guided Marquette to an overall record of 26-7 including a 13-3 ledger in C-USA play, the most wins by a MU team in league action. In addition, Crean was named the District 11 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the District V Coach of The Year by the USBWA.
In 2000-01, he directed the program to a record of 15-14 including a 9-7 mark in C-USA play. The nine wins in the conference then marked the most wins by a Marquette team in C-USA since 1996-97.
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.
In games played in Milwaukee, Crean stands 45-10 (43-8 at the Bradley Center, 2-2 at the U.S. Cellular 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 again at Michigan State (1995-99).
Tom Crean's Marquette Record 66-38/4th season Tom Crean's Career Record 66-38/4th season
Jackson Making An Impact
Senior Robert Jackson has made a significant impact for Marquette this season and checks into the Tulane bout second on the squad in scoring (16.3 ppg) and first in rebounding (7.8 rpg). The 6-foot-10 Jackson, who has eight or more caroms in nine of the team's 13 outings, has scored in double figures in all 13 of the Golden Eagles' contests. He has pulled down a team-high 43 offensive rebounds and his 3.30 offensive rebounds per-game average is good for the No. 3 spot in C-USA (through Jan. 11). Finally, his team-high 59.7 field goal percentage is good for the No. 3 spot among C-USA players (through Jan. 11).
More Notes From South Florida
South Florida shot 29.8 percent from the floor, an opponent low against Marquette this year ... MU's 26 assists was the second-highest total this year behind the team's 29 vs. Grambling State ... Marquette's eight three-point field goals tied the team's high mark for the year ... Marquette's 22 free throws marked the fourth time this season it had finished a game with 20 or more from the charity stripe ... MU hit 78.6 percent from the foul line, the team's ninth contest of 75 percent or better this year ... The Golden Eagles recorded 13 offensive rebounds the third straight and fifth time in the last six games they had posted double digits in that category ... In the last three outings, MU is averaging 16.0 offensive caroms vs. 10.3 for the opposition.
Tulane Head Coach Shawn Finney
Shawn Finney (Fairmont State, '85) is in his third season as head coach of Tulane and brings a school and career record of 30-43 into Tuesday's game. Prior to his current post, he served as an assistant at Kentucky from 1997-98 through 1999-2000.
Wade An All-Around Threat
Dwyane Wade, who ranks first among C-USA players in scoring (22.5 ppg), came through with a team-high 21 points against South Florida, his ninth outing of 20 or more points this year. Career-wise, Wade has totaled 864 points in 45 games (19.2 ppg) and his 325 career points in C-USA action is good for eighth place on the school's list. While Wade's scoring exploits are impressive, he is No. 2 on the team and No. 7 in C-USA (through Jan. 11) in assists (4.07 apg), first on the team and tied for eighth in the league (through Jan. 11) in steals (1.77 spg) and No. 2 on the club and 11th in field goal shooting (54.1%) through Jan. 11
Odds and Ends
Dwyane Wade has scored in double figures in 43 of his 45 career games ... Wade has two double doubles this season and four in his career ... Marquette has allowed one opponent this year (Notre Dame) and just two of its last 36 foes to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor ... The Golden Eagles own a 27-4 record during Crean's tenure when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor (6-0 in '02-03, 12-0 in 2001-02) ... Through Jan. 11 MU was No. 1 in C-USA in field goal shooting (.505) ... Marquette has held 70 of its last 75 opponents to less than 50 percent from the floor ... MU stands 32-5 during Crean's stint as head coach when registering 15 or more assists (8-2 in '02-03, 11-0 last year) ... Marquette proved to be a strong second-half team last year, registering scoring advantages in 28 of 33 games, and has outscored 10 of 13 foes over the final 20 minutes this year ... Since last year, MU owns a 27-4 mark when finishing a game with the same or fewer number of turnovers than the opposition ... Marquette has outshot the opposition in 19 of 26 halves (opponents have shot better in one overtime stanza) ... Robert Jackson's 25-point, 13-rebound effort against Appalachian State was his second double double at Marquette and 16th of his college career ... In its 10 wins, MU holds a 39.1-28.3 edge in rebounding compared to a 34.0-42.3 disadvantage in its three setbacks ... The Golden Eagles are averaging 38.4 points in the first half of play and 42.6 points during the final 20 minutes of action/overtime ... Opponents are averaging 31.7 points during the opening 20 minutes and 36.4 in the second half/ot ... MU is 6-0 this year when shooting 40 percent or better from three-point range, 18-1 since last season ... Marquette has scored 50 or more points in a half on six occasions this year compared to four last year ... Opponents have attempted more three-point field goals than MU in 11 games ... Marquette is No. 2 among C-USA teams (through Jan. 11) in free throw shooting with a 73.9 percent effort ... The Golden Eagles have shot 75 percent or better from the foul line in eight of the last 10 games with team hitting at a 77.4 clip (161-of-208) in the last 10 ... Wade has 102 career steals and is six thefts shy of moving into the top 10 in MU's all-time list.
Streaks & Last Time It Happened
Consecutive Games - Scott Merritt - 75
Consecutive Starts - Dwyane Wade - 33
Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games - Robert Jackson - 13
Consecutive Games with a Three-Pointer - Todd Townsend, Travis Diener - 5
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Scored 30+ Points - Dwyane Wade (31) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Scored 20+ Points - Dwyane Wade (21) vs. South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Rebounds - Scott Merritt (11) vs. Saint Louis - Jan. 7, 2003
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 15+ Rebounds - Odartey Blankson (16) vs. Southern Miss - Feb. 9, 2002
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had Double-Double (Points-Rebounds) - Scott Merritt (14-11) vs. Saint Louis - Jan. 7, 2003
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Assists - Travis Diener (12) vs. South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Made 15 or More Free Throws - Brian Wardle (16) vs. Charlotte - Feb. 13, 1999
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Made 12 or More Free Throws - Dwyane Wade (13) vs. Tennessee - Nov. 21, 2001
The Last Time a Marquette Team Had Five or Fewer Turnovers - (5) vs. Cincinnati - Mar. 10, 1996
The Last Time Marquette Shot 65% or Better From the Floor - (65.0%, 39-of-60) vs. Grambling - Dec. 28, 2002
The Last Time Marquette Shot 60% or Better From The Floor - (65.0%, 39-60) vs. Grambling - Dec. 28, 2002
The Last Time Marquette Shot 55% or Better From The Floor - (57.9%, 33-57) vs. South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time An Opponent Shot 60% or Better From the Floor - Tennessee (60.0%, 27-45) - Nov. 21, 2001
The Last Time An Opponent Shot 55% or Better From the Floor - Wisconsin (58.0%, 29-of-50) - Dec. 22, 2001
The Last Time Marquette Had 25 or more Assists in a Game - 26 vs. South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time Marquette Had 20 or more Assists in a Game - 26 vs. South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time an Opponent Had 20 or more Assists in a Game - Memphis (20) - Feb. 2, 2001
The Last Time An Opponent Scored 40+ points - Larry Hughes (40) - St. Louis - Jan. 24, 1998
The Last Time an Opponent Scored 30+ Points - Chris Thomas (32) - Notre Dame - Dec. 2, 2002
The Last Time an Opponent Scored 20+ Points - Terrence Leather (20) - South Florida - Jan. 11, 2003
The Last Time an Opponent Had 10+ Rebounds - Brooks Hall (10) - Dayton - Jan. 4, 2003
The Last Time an Opponent Had 15+ Rebounds - Jamal Brown (16) - TCU - Jan. 23, 2002; Marlon Dumont (15) - TCU - Jan. 23, 2002
The Last Time an Opponent Had a Double-Double (Points-Rebounds) - Brooks Hall (13-12) - Dayton - Jan. 4, 2003
The Last Time an Opponent Had 10+ Assists - Chris Thomas (10) - Notre Dame - Dec. 2, 2002
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
The Last Time Marquette Did Not Make A Three-Point Field Goal - vs. Wisconsin - Dec. 23, 2000
The Last Time An Opponent Did Not Make A Three-Point Field Goal - Minnesota - Nov. 23, 1999
Playing With the Lead
During Crean's stay at Marquette, the Golden Eagles have been tough to beat when leading at halftime. Marquette stands 50-9 when leading at the intermission (9-1 in '02-03, 21-1 last season). The only game MU has lost time season when leading at halftime was at East Carolina (MU led 35-33 at half).
Rebound Notes
Tom Crean-coached Marquette teams have always stressed rebounding with the Golden Eagles outrebounding 67 of 104 opponents during Crean's tenure. MU shows a 55-12 record under Crean when outboarding the opposition, (9-1 in '02-03, 19-3 during the 2001-02 campaign. Through Jan. 11, MU was No. 3 in C-USA in rebound margin (+6.4). Last year, MU stood No. 3 among C-USA teams in rebound margin (+4.5) in overall and league play (+2.7).
70 A Magic Number For Marquette
During Coach Crean's tenure as head coach, Marquette stands 39-8 when scoring 70 or more points (7-3 in 2002-03). The 2001-02 season saw the Golden Eagles post a 20-1 mark in such games and they show a 36-7 mark since 2000-01.
Inside The Numbers
Marquette has outshot 10 of 13 opponents from the field this year and shows a 9-1 record in those games, 33-2 since the 2001-02 season ... Through 13 games, the Golden Eagles are averaging 12.69 turnovers per game as are their opponents ... After 13 games, MU is averaging 14.8 three-point field goal attempts vs. 22.1 for the opposition.
