Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Hosts Notre Dame on Big Monday
12/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MILWAUKEE, Wis. ? The Marquette Golden Eagles return to action tonight against Notre Dame. Tonight?s game will be the second nationally-televised contest of the season for Marquette, as it anchors the Big Monday college basketball schedule on ESPN2. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Bradley Center.
Quick Notes
o Monday?s meeting between Marquette and Notre Dame will be the 105th overall between the two schools, dating back to the 1919-20 season, but just the third since 1997.
o The match-up marks only the seventh time in the series? history that both teams enter the game ranked, and the first time since January 13, 1979. Then it was No. 2 Notre Dame going on the road to defeat No. 13 Marquette, 65-60.
o The Fighting Irish and Golden Eagles? rivalry is the second-longest, in terms of games played, in MU history. MU?s oldest rival is the University of Wisconsin, who it will meet for the 110th time later this month.
o MU?s victory over Northern Michigan last Monday was the 1294th in the 87-year history of the program. The program?s winning percentage of .613 entering the season was 32nd-best overall among Division I schools.
o Head coach Tom Crean needs 14 more victories to become just the fifth coach in school history to win 100 career games.
o Defense and rebounding have been the keys to success for Marquette early on. Through four games, MU has allowed opponents to shoot just 36.4 percent from the field and holds a per game rebounding advantage of 42.0 to 31.5.
o The 45 and 41 points, respectively, that MU allowed to St. John?s and Savannah State marked the 22nd and 23rd time during the Tom Crean era that an opponent has been held to 52 points or less.
o The Golden Eagles are 9-9 under Tom Crean?s direction against ranked opponents.
o Marquette has used two different starting lineups through their first four games. Three times it has been Diener, Chapman, Sanders, Merritt and Novak. Once, against Savannah State, Townsend replaced Novak.
o The Golden Eagles have converted at least one three-point field goal in 90 straight games. Under Tom Crean, MU has made at least one three-point field goal in 127 of 128 games. MU?s only "0-fer" from three came against Wisconsin on December 23, 2000, when it went 0-for-9.
