Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Basketball Faces Road Test At Dayton
1/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2003
Game Date -- Jan. 4, 2003
Site - Dayton, OH * Dayton Arena (13,266)
Tipoff - 11:05 a.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play, Mike Thibault, Analysis) -- website: www.newstalk1130.com
Television - ESPN (Dave Sims, Play-by-Play; Fran Fraschilla, Analysis)
Probable Marquette Starters (subject to change)
G #34 - Travis Diener (So., 6-1, 165, Fond du Lac, Wis.) 10.0 ppg; 2.3 rpg, 5.9 apg -- Double-figure scorer in six games -- 19 assists, four turnovers in last three games
G #3 - Dwyane Wade (Jr., 6-5, 210, Robbins, Ill.) 24.9 ppg; 6.1 rpg; 4.5 apg -- C-USA leading scorer -- has eight games of 20 or more points this year -- Shooting team-high 58.6 percent from the floor (95-of-162)
F #5 - Scott Merritt (Jr., 6-10, 245, Wauwatosa, Wis.) 9.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg -- No. 2 on club in rebounding
F #1 - Todd Townsend (So., 6-7, 215, Chicago, Ill.) 6.8 ppg; 2.9 rpg -- Double-figure scorer in last two games and is averaging 13.5 points and shooting 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from field in those two contests
F #55 - Robert Jackson (Sr., 6-10, 260, Milwaukee, Wis.) 16.9 ppg; 8.7 rpg -- Double-figure scorer in each of the team's first 10 games -- No. 2 on squad in FG% (.580, 65-of-112)
Probable Dayton Starters (subject to change)
F #33 - Brooks Hall (Sr., 6-6, 205, 15.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
F #45 - Keith Waleskowski (Jr., 6-9, 230, 13.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg)
C #54 - Sean Finn (Jr., 6-11, 245, 8.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
G #14 - Mark Jones (So., 6-1, 170, 3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.5 apg)
G # 3 - Ramod Marshall (Jr., 6-2, 175, 11.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Series Notes - Marquette holds a 21-12 advantage in the all-time series that saw the first game played on Dec. 28, 1966. The Flyers have won the last two games at the UD Arena, 81-49 (Nov. 28, 1998) and 61-60 (Dec. 30, 2000). Last season, Marquette snapped a three-game losing streak to Dayton when it posted a 73-51 win at the Bradley Center.
Statistical Comparison
Marquette DaytonScoring Avg. 81.3 ppg 68.6 ppgScoring Def. 67.7 ppg 65.0 ppgScoring Margin +13.6 ppg +3.6Rebounding Avg. 37.6 rpg 36.6 rpgReb. Margin +5.1 +6.8FG% 51.0% 43.9%Opp FG% 40.0% 44.2%3 Pt. FG% 35.3% 31.8%FT% 73.5% 70.6%
Game Info
The Marquette basketball team plays the second of a three-game road swing on Saturday (Jan. 4) when it tangles with the Flyers of the University of Dayton. The UD Arena (13,266) will be the site of the 34th meeting between Marquette and Dayton and game time is 11:05 a.m. (CST).
Saturday's game will be televised by ESPN with Dave Sims and Fran Fraschilla providing the play-by-play and commentary, respectively.
The Records
Marquette, ranked 9th in the ESPN/USA Today poll and 13th by the Associated Press, takes an 8-2 record into the Dayton game. In its most recent performance, Marquette came out on the short end of a 73-70 decision at East Carolina on Dec. 30 in the C-USA opener for both squads.
In that game, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 28-19 lead a little past the midway point in the first half before going into the locker room with a 35-33 advantage at the intermission. Trailing by a 58-57 margin with 7:25 remaining, Marquette hit a dry spell and was outscored by 12-4 margin over the next five minutes that put it at a 70-61 disadvantage with just 2:25 on the clock.
To its credit the Golden Eagles roared back with 9-0 spurt that saw them deadlock the game, 70-70, after senior Robert Jackson sank two pressure-packed free throws with 42 ticks on the clock. However, MU could not generate any more points while ECU recorded three free throws to escape with the victory.
Junior Dwyane Wade led the team's scoring attack with 21 points while Jackson finished with 14 points along with a team-best eight rebounds. Sophomores Todd Townsend and Travis Diener each chalked up 11 points to round out the team's double-figure scorers. Marquette outshout the Pirates from the floor, 41.7 to 39.7 percent, but could not overcome a 43-31 ECU margin on the glass. MU went 12-of-12 from the charity stripe while the hosts converted on 24-of-30.
Dayton hosts Marquette with a record of 7-3. The Flyers' most recent outing was an 85-74 setback at No. 1 Duke this past Sunday. Dayton has posted a 6-0 record on its home court this year.
Marquette Hot From The Floor
While Marquette saw its four-game streak of shooting 50 percent or better from the floor snapped in the East Carolina game (the Golden Eagles finished with a 41.7 percent mark), it still holds down the No. 1 spot among C-USA squads in that category with a 51.0 percent effort. Through 10 games, MU has connected on 50 percent or better on its field goal attempts on five occasions.
Leading the team's field goal percentage effort are three starters who are shooting over 50 percent from the floor; Dwyane Wade (.586, 95-of-162, No. 4 C-USA through Jan. 1), Robert Jackson (.580, 65-of-112, No. 5 in C-USA through Jan. 1) and Scott Merritt (.514, 38-of-74).
Last year, the Golden Eagles tied Houston for the top spot in field goal shooting among C-USA teams and finished 24th nationally with a 47.3 percent mark. Marquette is 5-0 in games this year when it has shot 50 percent or better, 23-2 since the 2000-01 season.
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, good for third place in the American Division. 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 44-10 (42-8 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 64-37/4th season Tom Crean's Career Record 64-37/4th season
Jackson Making An Impact
Senior Robert Jackson has made a significant impact for Marquette this season and checks into the Dayton game second on the squad in scoring (16.9 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.7 rpg). The 6-foot-10 Jackson, who has eight or more caroms in nine of the team's 10 outings, has scored in double figures in all 10 of the Golden Eagles' contests. Jackson has been the team's top board man in four of the last five and in a total of six games. He has pulled down a team-high 39 offensive rebounds and his 3.90 offensive rebounds per-game average is good for the No. 2 spot in C-USA (through Jan. 1).
More Notes From East Carolina
The 30 free throws shot by ECU represented the most attempted against MU this season ... The Golden Eagles sank all 12 of their opportunities from the line against ECU, tying a C-USA record (10 or more attempts) for free throw percentage in a game ... ECU finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds, the second-highest opponent total this season.
40 A Magic Number On The Glass
MU's 45 boards against Grambling boosted the team's mark this year to 5-0 when finishing a game with 40 or more caroms. Since Crean has been head coach, the Golden Eagles stand 23-3 in such contests. Last year, MU posted a 6-0 record when registering 40 or more rebounds.
Dayton Head Coach Oliver Purnell
Oliver Purnell (Old Dominion, '75) is in his ninth season as head coach of Dayton and has compiled a school record of 138-113. During his tenure at UD, he has directed the program to three NIT berths and one NCAA Tournament appearance. In 15 years as a college head coach, Purnell has a career slate of 239-188.
Wade An All-Around Threat
Dwyane Wade, who ranks first among C-USA players and tied for No. 4 nationally in scoring (24.9 ppg), enters the Dayton game with 20 or more points to his credit in the team's last five and in a total of eight contests druing the year. In the last five games, Wade is averaging 25.8 points and shooting 61.3 percent (46-of-75) from the floor. While Wade's scoring exploits are impressive, he is No. 2 on the team and No. 7 in C-USA (through Jan. 1) in assists (4.5 apg), tied for first on the team and 11th in the league (through Jan. 1) in steals (1.70 spg) and is No. 3 on the team and 18th in the conference in rebounding (6.1 rpg).
Odds and Ends
Dwyane Wade's 21 points against East Carolina represented his 41st career game of double-figure scoring in 42 outings ... Rob Jackson's 14-point night against East Carolina boosted his career total to 987 ... Marquette has allowed one opponent this year (Notre Dame) and just two of its last 33 foes to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor ... The Golden Eagles own a 26-4 record during Crean's tenure when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor (5-0 in '02-03, 12-0 in 2001-02) ... Marquette has held 67 of its last 72 opponents to less than 50 percent from the floor ... MU stands 31-4 during Crean's stint as head coach when registering 15 or more assists (7-1 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 seven of 10 foes over the final 20 minutes this year ... The Golden Eagles' 23-game home win streak is the program's longest since a 23-game skein, Feb. 21, 1995 through Dec. 6, 1996 ... Since last year, MU owns a 26-4 mark when finishing a game with the same or fewer number of turnovers than the opposition ... Marquette has outshot the opposition in 15 of 20 halves ... Robert Jackson's 25-point, 13-rebound effort against Appalachian State was his second double double at Marquette and 16th of his college career ... The Golden Eagles are averaging 39.6 points in the first half of play and 41.7 points during the final 20 minutes of action ... Opponents are averaging 32.2 points during the opening 20 minutes and 35.5 in the second half ... MU is 4-0 this year when shooting 40 percent or better from three-point range, 16-1 since last season ... In its last four games, Marquette is shooting 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from beyond the arc compared to the opposition's mark of 28.3 percent (21-of-74) ... Marquette has scored 50 or more points in a half on five occasions this year compared to four last year ... Opponents have attempted more three-point field goals than MU in eight games ... Marquette holds down the No. 2 spot among C-USA teams (through Jan. 1) in free throw shooting with a 73.5 percent effort ... The Golden Eagles have shot 75 percent or better from the foul line in six of the last seven games with team hitting at a 78.2 clip (115-of-147) in the last seven.
Streaks & Last Time It Happened
Consecutive Games - Scott Merritt - 72
Consecutive Starts - Dwyane Wade - 30
Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games - Dwyane Wade - 27
Consecutive Games with a Three-Pointer - Dwyane Wade - 3
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. East Carolina - Dec. 30, 2002
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Rebounds - Robert Jackson (13) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002; Scott Merritt (12) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002
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 (17-12) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002; Robert Jackson (25-13) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002
The Last Time a Golden Eagle Had 10+ Assists - Travis Diener (10) vs. Appalachian State - Dec. 7, 2002
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 - (65.0%, 39-60) vs. Grambling - Dec. 28, 2002
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 - 29 vs. Grambling - Dec. 28, 2002
The Last Time Marquette Had 20 or more Assists in a Game - 29 vs. Grambling - Dec. 28, 2002
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 - Gabriel Mikulas (22) - East Carolina - Dec. 30, 2002
The Last Time an Opponent Had 10+ Rebounds - Torin Francis (13) - Notre Dame - Dec. 2, 2002
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) - Gabriel Mikulas (22-11) - East Carolina - Dec. 30, 2002
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
Playing With the Lead
During Crean's stay at Marquette, the Golden Eagles have been tough to beat when leading at halftime. Marquette stands 48-9 when leading at the intermission (7-1 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 64 of 101 opponents during Crean's tenure. MU shows a 53-11 record under Crean when outboarding the opposition, (7-0 in '02-03, 19-3 during the 2001-02 campaign. Through Jan. 1, MU was tied for No. 3 in C-USA in rebound margin (+5.1). 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 38-7 when scoring 70 or more points (6-2 in 2002-03). The 2001-02 season saw the Golden Eagles post a 20-1 mark in such games and they show a 35-6 mark since 2000-01.
Inside The Numbers
Marquette has outshot nine of 10 opponents from the field this year and shows a 8-1 record in those games, 32-2 since the 2001-02 season ... Through 10 games, the Golden Eagles are averaging 12.1 turnovers per game vs. 12.4 for the opposition ... After 10 games, MU is averaging 15.6 three-point field goal attempts vs. 21.9 for the opposition.
