Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Basketball Battles TCU On The Road
2/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 21, 2003
Game Data
Site - Fort Worth, Tex. * Daniel Meyer Coliseum (7,200)
Tipoff - 1:05 p.m. CST
Radio - Marquette Radio Network (Steve "The Homer" True, Play-by-Play; George Thompson, Analysis) -- website: www.newstalk1130.com
Television - WDJT-TV 58 (John Rooney, Play-by-Play; Steve Bardo, Analysis)
Probable Marquette Starters (subject to change)
G #34 - Travis Diener (So., 6-1, 165, Fond du Lac, Wis.) 11.0 ppg; 3.1 rpg, 5.74 apg -- No. 2 in C-USA in assists; Leads team with 43 three-point field goals
G #3 - Dwyane Wade (Jr., 6-5, 210, Robbins, Ill.) 21.2 ppg; 5.8 rpg; 3.82 apg; 2.17 spg -- C-USA leading scorer (21.2 ppg); Team lead with 21 points vs. Charlotte; 15 games of two or more steals
F #5 - Scott Merritt (Jr., 6-10, 245, Wauwatosa, Wis.) 9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg -- 11-point, 10-rebound effort vs. Charlotte was his fourth double-double of the year
F #1 - Todd Townsend (So., 6-7, 215, Chicago, Ill.) 7.1 ppg; 2.7 rpg -- No. 3 on squad with 31 treys; Seven games of double-figure scoring this year
F #55 - Robert Jackson (Sr., 6-10, 260, Milwaukee, Wis.) 15.7 ppg; 7.3 rpg -- No. 2 in C-USA in FG% (.554); Has scored in double figures a team-high 22 times this year
Probable TCU Starters (subject to change)
F # 5 - Marcus Sloan (So., 6-9, 215, 2.0 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
F # 22 - Chudi Chinweze (Fr., 6-6, 225, 9.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
F # 33 - Cory Valsin (So., 6-8, 225, 3.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
G # 15 - Junior Blount (Sr., 6-0, 160, 17.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
G # 3 - Corey Santee (So., 6-3, 193, 16.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
Series Notes - In the only meeting between the two schools, Marquette registered an 83-72 triumph last year in Milwaukee.
Game Info
After moving into first place in C-USA following a win against Charlotte on Thursday, the Marquette basketball team takes to the road to battle TCU on Saturday (Feb. 22). Daniel-Meyer Coliseum (7,200) will be the venue for the second-ever meeting between the two schools and tipoff is slated for 1:05 pm.
The MU-TCU game will be televised locally by WDJT (Ch. 58) as part of the C-USA Weekend Syndicated Package. Providing play-by-play will be John Rooney while Steve Bardo contributes analysis.
The Records
Marquette, ranked 11th by the Associated Press and 12th by ESPN/USA Today, takes a 19-4 overall record (10-2 C-USA) into the TCU game. In its most recent performance, Marquette got back into the win column with a 75-68 decision over Charlotte, the team's 13th win in 14 home games this year.
Marquette went into the locker room at halftime with a 37-29 lead on the strength of 23-8 edge in rebounding as well as holding the 49ers to 38.5 percent from the floor. Dwyane Wade accounted for 10 points during the opening half while freshman Steve Novak gave the squad a boost off the bench by hitting three treys en route to nine points.
The Golden Eagles boosted their advantage to 16 points, 55-39, with 13:34 on the clock when sophomore Travis Diener buried a three-point field goal. A Charlotte rally cut the deficit to eight points with 3:52 left, but Marquette responded with a 9-5 spurt that increased its advantage to 12 points with 1:15 left.
Wade totaled a team-high 21 points, sinking seven-of-14 from the floor and all seven of his free throw attempts. In addition, Wade snatched nine rebounds and doled out five assists. Senior front liner Robert Jackson turned in a steady performance with 15 points while Travis Diener finished the game with 12 points and a team-high seven assists. Junior Scott Merritt posted his fourth double-double of the campaign with 11 points and 10 rebounds. For the game, Marquette shot 50.9 percent from the floor (27-of-53) and continued its fine free throw shooting, converting 15-of-18 attempts.
TCU hosts Marquette with an overall record of 8-16, 2-10 in C-USA affairs. The Horned Frogs have dropped their last two games including an 88-85 overtime verdict to UAB this past Tuesday.
Novak Finding The Range
Freshman Steve Novak has given the Golden Eagles a spark off the bench, most recently by hitting three first-half treys en route to his game total of nine points. The 6-foot-10 Novak is averaging 12.3 points in his last three contests while shooting 63.1 percent (12-of-19) from the floor including 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from beyond the arc.
Heading into the weekend, Novak ranked as C-USA's No. 1 performer in three-point field goal percentage in both overall (.485, 32-of-66) and league contests (.524, 22-of-42). His 32 three-pointers rank him fifth on the school's seasonal chart for freshmen.
Wade Continues March Up MU Charts
MU's Dwyane Wade's 21 points against Charlotte increased his career total to 1,059, good for 28th place on the school's all-time list. Wade is now eyeing Bernard Toone's ('75-79) 27th-place mark of 1,103 points. In addition, Dwyane is 10th in career steals at MU with 129.
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. He is 1-0 all-time vs. TCU.
In games played in Milwaukee, Crean stands 50-11 (48-9 at the Bradley Center, 2-2 at the U.S. Cellular Arena).
Tom Crean's Marquette Record 75-39/4th season Tom Crean's Career Record 75-39/4th season
Jackson Making An Impact
Senior Robert Jackson has made a significant impact for Marquette this season and checks into the TCU affair second on the squad and tied for 10th in C-USA(through Feb. 20) in scoring (15.7 ppg) and first on the team in rebounding (7.3 rpg), good for 10th among league players. The 6-foot-10 Jackson's 15 points vs. Charlotte marked his 22nd game of double-figure scoring this year (team high). He has pulled down a team-high 77 offensive rebounds and his 3.31 offensive rebounds per-game average is good for fourth place in C-USA (through Feb. 20). Finally, his team-high 55.4 field goal percentage holds down the the No. 2 spot among C-USA players (through Feb. 20).
More Notes From Charlotte
Marquette shot 50.9 percent from the field, the ninth time this season (fourth in conference play) that it had reached or surpassed that figure ... The Golden Eagles converted 54.5% (6-of-11) from three-point range, the team's third-highest mark this year and second best in league affairs ... The Golden Eagles' 15 offensive rebounds represented the seventh consecutive game where they posted double digits on the offensive glass ... MU held Charlotte to 34.8 percent from the floor, the fifth time in the last seven games it has held the opposition to less than 40 percent from the field ... The crowd of 16,718 boosted MU's home attendance to 14,981 for 14 home dates ... The win boosted MU's record to 45-11 in its last 56 games, 23-5 in league play.
40 A Magic Number On The Glass
Marquette has grabbed 40 or more rebounds in seven games this year and shows a 5-2 won-lost ledger in those affairs, 23-5 during Coach Crean's tenure. Last year, MU posted a 6-0 record when registering 40 or more rebounds.
TCU Head Coach Neil Dougherty
Neil Dougherty (Cameron Univ., '84) is in his first season as head coach of TCU. Prior to his current post, he served as an assistant at Kansas from 1995 through 2002.
Wade An All-Around Threat
Dwyane Wade, who ranks first among C-USA players and 28th nationally in scoring (21.2 ppg), has 14 outings of 20 or more points this year. Career-wise, Wade has totaled 1,059 points in 55 games (19.2 ppg) and his 502 career points in C-USA action is good for sixth place on the school's list. While Wade's scoring exploits are impressive, he is No. 2 on the team and No. 10 in C-USA (through Feb. 20) in assists (3.82 apg), first on the team and third in the league (through Feb. 20) in steals (2.17 spg) and No. 2 on the club and 9th in the loop in field goal shooting (50.9%). Wade has 15 multi-steal games this year and eight of three or more thefts.
Odds and Ends
Dwyane Wade has scored in double figures in 52 of his 55 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 46 foes to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor ... The Golden Eagles own a 30-4 record during Crean's tenure when shooting 50 percent or better from the floor (9-0 in '02-03, 12-0 in 2001-02) ... In its last three games, MU is shooting 45.5 percent (20-of-44) from three-point range vs. 31.3 percent (20-of-64) for opponents ... MU has held 80 of its last 85 opponents to less than 50 percent from the floor ... MU stands 36-5 during Crean's stint as head coach when registering 15 or more assists (12-2 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 17 of 23 foes over the final 20 minutes this year ... Since last year, MU owns a 33-4 mark when finishing a game with the same or fewer number of turnovers than the opposition ... Marquette has outshot the opposition in 34 of 46 halves (opponents have shot better in one overtime stanza) ... Robert Jackson's 15-point, 10-rebound effort against DePaul was his fifth double double at Marquette and 19th of his college career ... In its 19 wins, MU holds a 37.0-30.3 edge in rebounding compared to a 35.8-41.3 disadvantage in its four setbacks ... The Golden Eagles are averaging 36.3 points in the first half of play and 41.7 points during the final 20 minutes of action/overtime ... Opponents are averaging 30.1 points during the opening 20 minutes and 36.1 in the second half/ot ... MU is 11-1 this year when shooting 40 percent or better from three-point range, 23-2 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 16 games ... Marquette is No. 1 among C-USA teams and tied for 6th nationally (through Feb. 20) in free throw shooting with a 76.6 percent effort ... The Golden Eagles have shot 75 percent or better from the foul line in 16 of the last 20 games and the team is hitting at a 79.1 clip (87-of-110) over the last five games ... Through Feb. 20, Marquette is No. 1 among C-USA in field goal percentage in overall play (.481) ... MU also tops the league in 3pt. FG% in overall (.373) and league (.405) action.
