Marquette University Athletics
Men's Basketball Hosts Saint Louis
1/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MARQUETTE IN THE POLLS
As a result of last year?s 27 wins and Final Four appearance, the Golden Eagles earned a year-end Top 10 ranking for the first time since 1978. MU finished sixth in the final ESPN/USA Today poll, and ninth in the Associated Press poll. The Golden Eagles were the only C-USA team to be ranked in all 19 of the AP?s 2002-03 polls. Dating back to February 5, 2002, Marquette has been ranked in 32 of the last 33 AP Polls.
SELECT FEW IN THE POLLS
Marquette was one of only 10 schools - Arizona, Duke, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Texas - to be ranked in all 19 Associated Press Polls last season.
ON TRACK FOR 1,000 POINTS
If Travis Diener and Scott Merritt hit their per game scoring averages of 17.1 and 11.1, respectively, for the remainder of the season, both could reach the 1,000 career-point mark. Through eleven games Diener has 863 career points and Merritt has 840.
MARQUETTE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Scott Merritt?s 17 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday?s victory over Houston was his fourth double-double of the season. Merritt?s 18 career double-doubles ranks him fourth among active players in C-USA. Travis Diener is the only other Golden Eagle to record a double-double this season. Diener?s 21-point and 10-assist effort at Arizona was his first this season and fourth of his career.
ZERO TURNOVERS
Travis Diener?s zero turnover effort at Houston on Wednesday marked the 28th time in his career, including the fifth this year, he played without recording a turnover. Diener has played 25 minutes or more in 20 of his 28 turnover-free games.
70-POINT TREND
Under Tom Crean Marquette is 59-11, including 47-7 since the beginning of the 2001-02 and 7-1 this season, when scoring 70 or more points. The Golden Eagles only loss this year when scoring 70 points or more was to Arizona, 85-75.
THREE POINT RANGE
Led by Travis Diener (22-for-50/44.0 percent) and Steve Novak (26-for-58/44.8 percent), the Golden Eagles have connected on 61-of-152 (40.1 percent) from three-point range in their last eight games. Marquette made a season-high 12 three-point field goals on December 13 at Arizona.
DIENER AND NOVAK AMONG MARQUETTE AND CONFERENCE USA CAREER LEADERS
Steve Novak and Travis Diener currently rank first and sixth, respectively, in career three-point field goal percentage at Marquette and in Conference USA.
500 CAREER REBOUNDS
With his 12 rebounds in Marquette?s victory over Northern Michigan on November 24, Scott Merritt became the 37th player in program history to collect 500 or more career rebounds.
Currently ranked 35th all-time with 552 rebounds, if Merritt reaches 1,000 career-points he would become the 17th player in the 87-year history of MU basketball to score 1,000 career points and collect 500 career rebounds.
NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
Monday?s victory over Sacred Heart improved Marquette to 29-6 against non-conference opponents since 2001. The victory was the Golden Eagles 24th-consecutive over a non-conference opponent at the Bradley Center. Marquette?s last non-conference home loss came on December 23, 2000, against No. 16 Wisconsin.
BRADLEY CENTER ADVANTAGE
The Golden Eagles have won 37 of their last 38 games at the Bradley Center, dating back to the start of the 2001-02 season, and are 58-9 overall in Tom Crean?s five seasons.
The team had a 28-game home winning-streak snapped by Louisville on February 15th, 2003. The school?s all-time record for most consecutive home victories is 81, set from 1967 through 1974.
Marquette is 188-60 (.758) all-time at the Bradley Center.
CONSECUTIVE FROM THREE
The Golden Eagles have converted at least one three-point field goal in 98 straight games.
Under Tom Crean, MU has made at least one three-point field goal in 135 of 136 games. MU?s only ?0-fer? from three came against Wisconsin on December 23, 2000, when it went 0-for-9.
DIENER RANKS AMONG BEST
In the most recent NCAA weekly statistical rankings junior point guard Travis Diener ranked 11th in assists per game (6.5) and 29th in three-point field goal percentage (45.2).
BELOW 60 LEADS TO VICTORY
When holding its opponents to 60 points or fewer, Marquette has won 14 consecutive, 32 of its last 33, and is 44-5 under Tom Crean. MU has held five opponents to 60 or fewer this season. Its last loss when holding an opponent under 60 was February 26, 2002 at East Carolina, 51-46.
STRETCH OF SUCCESS
The Golden Eagles have won 63 of their last 78 (.808) games dating back to the start of the 2001-02 season.
1,300 VICTORIES
Marquette?s victory over Houston on Wednesday was the 1,300th in the program?s 87-year history. The Golden Eagles are the 51st program in NCAA history and the third in Conference USA (Cincinnati, Louisville) to record 1,300 victories.
Entering the season the program was 32nd overall among Division I schools with a .613 winning percentage.
CENTURY CLUB
Tom Crean needs seven more victories to become the fifth coach in school history to win 100 career games.
DEFENDING THE PERIMETER
Marquette has held its last four opponents to a combined 23-for-77 (31.1 percent) from three-point range.
MARQUETTE IN C-USA
Marquette has won 15 of its last 16 Conference USA home games and 13 of its last 17 Conference USA road games dating back to the 2001-02 season.
UNIFORM RECORDS
Through 12 games Marquette is 5-0 in white, 3-0 in gold and 2-2 in blue.
DIENER NAMED TO PRESEASON WOODEN AWARD LIST
Travis Diener has been selected as one of 50 preseason finalists for the John R. Wooden award, given at the conclusion of each season to nation?s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. It marks the second consecutive season Marquette has been represented on the Wooden Award list. Last season, Dwyane Wade finished in the top five in voting for the award. For a complete listing of this season?s Wooden Award candidates, and updates through out the year, go to www.woodenaward.com.
