Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Basketball Sets 2003-04 Schedule
9/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sept. 17, 2003
Milwaukee -- Contests against at least 10 teams that advanced to post season play during the 2002-03 season highlight this year's Marquette basketball schedule. Included in this year's docket of games include a minimum of four non-conference foes that earned post garnered post season recognition including three teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament and one that captured the NIT title. In addition, Marquette will appear on national or regional television a minimum of 14 times during the upcoming season.
Marquette opens its 86th season of intercollegiate play on Thursday, Nov. 13, in an ESPN2 telecast when it takes on St. John's in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Red Storm finished last season with a 21-13 overall record and captured the program's sixth NIT title at the Garden. It will mark the second straight campaign that MU has opened at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Last season, the Golden Eagles topped Villanova, 73-61.
The game against St. John's is one of three stern non-conference road tests that await Head Coach Tom Crean and his squad. On Saturday, Dec. 13, the Golden Eagles venture to Arizona to take on the Wildcats. Arizona ended 2002-03 ranked No. 2 in the nation and advanced to the NCAA West Regional Final. Head Coach Lute Olson and his squad have already received prominent preseason recognition with a No. 4 national ranking by Athlon Sports. A week later on Dec. 20, Marquette invades the Kohl Center in Madison to battle Wisconsin in an ESPN telecast starting at 1:00 p.m. UW returns four starters from last year's club that won the Big Ten Conference regular-season title.
Marquette makes its home debut the weekend of Nov. 21-22 when it hosts the Pepsi Blue and Gold Classic. Included in this year's field are Valparaiso, Arkansas-Monticello and Savannah State. Led by Head Coach Homer Drew, the Crusaders of Valparaiso return four starters from last year's unit that claimed the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season crown and that advanced to the NIT.
The Pepsi Blue & Gold Classic starts a streak that will see the Golden Eagles play five straight games at the Bradley Center including a Monday, Dec. 1, battle against Notre Dame that will be aired by ESPN. The Fighting Irish, who will be making their first trip to Milwaukee since November of 1997, are coming off a successful 2002-03 season that saw them post a 24-10 record while advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Also included in that stretch are games against Northern Michigan (Nov. 24) and Grambling State (Dec. 5).
"The Northern Michigan game comes because of my respect for its program and the fact that it is a very important place to Tom Izzo," Crean said. "With our Division II and III backgrounds, I thought that this was a good step in finalizing the schedule."
The Conference USA schedule, which was released earlier, will see five of the other six teams that earned post season bids last year visit the Bradley Center including bouts against NCAA teams Cincinnati (Jan. 14, ESPN), Memphis (Feb. 14, ESPN) and Louisville (Mar. 6, CBS). Saint Louis and DePaul, both of whom participated in the 2003 NIT, come to Milwaukee as well on Jan. 10 and Jan. 24, respectively.
"There will be some high-quality teams coming to the Bradley Center this season and the road schedule will be as challenging as we have had in our time at Marquette," Coach Crean stated when assessing the schedule.
"We are excited about our television opportunities on a national and regional basis and would have liked to have added another national television game at home against a major opponent, but after weeks and weeks of trying we couldn't get anybody to take us up on it."
2003-04 MARQUETTE MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
Day Date Opponent Time Site
Thu. Nov. 6 TEAM NIKE (exhib.) 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Sun. Nov. 9 WISCONSIN ALL-STARS (exhib.) 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Thu. Nov. 13 St. John's (ESPN2) 8:00 p.m. New York (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic)
Fri.-Sat. Nov. 21-22 BLUE AND GOLD CLASSIC 5:30/8:00 Milwaukee
Nov. 21 Valparaiso vs. Arkansas-Monticello 5:30 p.m.
Marquette vs. Savannah State 800 p.m.
Nov. 22 Consolation Game 5:30 p.m.
Championship Game 8:00 p.m.
Mon. Nov. 24 NORTHERN MICHIGAN 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Mon. Dec. 1 NOTRE DAME (ESPN2) 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Fri. Dec. 5 GRAMBLING 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Sat. Dec. 13 at Arizona TBA Tucson, AZ
Mon. Dec. 15 CANISIUS 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Sat. Dec. 20 at Wisconsin (ESPN) 1:00 p.m. Madison
Mon. Dec. 22 FLORIDA A&M 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Mon. Dec. 29 SACRED HEART 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Wed. Jan. 7 at Houston* 7:30 p.m. Houston, TX
Sat. Jan. 10 SAINT LOUIS* 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Wed. Jan. 14 CINCINNATI* (ESPN) 6:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Fri. Jan. 16 vs. Southern Miss* TBA Green Bay, WI
Tue. Jan. 20 at Charlotte* 6:30 p.m. Charlotte, NC
Sat. Jan. 24 DePAUL* (ESPN-Plus) 11:00 a.m. Milwaukee
Sat. Jan. 31 at Louisville* (ESPN) 2:00 p.m. Louisville, KY
Tue. Feb. 3 TCU* 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Sat. Feb. 7 at DePaul* (ABC) 2:00 p.m. Chicago, IL
Sat. Feb. 14 MEMPHIS* (ESPN) 8:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Wed. Feb. 18 at Saint Louis* (ESPN2) 8:00 p.m. Saint Louis, MO
Sat. Feb. 21 TULANE* (ESPN-Plus) Noon Milwaukee
Thur. Feb. 26 at South Florida* (ESPN2) 6:00 p.m. Tampa, FL
Sat. Feb. 28 at UAB* (ESPN-Plus) 2:00 p.m. Birmingham, AL
Wed. Mar. 3 EAST CAROLINA* 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee
Sat. Mar. 6 LOUISVILLE* (CBS) Noon Milwaukee
times listed are Central
* Denotes C-USA game
