Marquette University Athletics
Men's Basketball Gets Set for TCU
2/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
For a complete version of tonight's game notes in PDF Format, click here.
70-Point Trend
Under Tom Crean Marquette is 61-13, including 49-9 since the beginning of the 2001-02 and 9-3 this season, when scoring 70 or more points. The Golden Eagles? three losses this year when scoring 70 points were to Arizona, Cincinnati and Charlotte.
Downtown Duo
Travis Diener (48-of-106/45.3 percent) and Steve Novak (52-of-119/43.7 percent) have accounted for 100 of the Golden Eagles? 128 three-point field goals this season. Novak and Diener currently rank first and fifth, respectively, in career three-point field goal percentage at Marquette.
Mason Making Impact
Dameon Mason?s 21-point effort against DePaul on January 24 made him the first true-freshman to score 20 or more points in a game since December 5, 1998, when Cordell Henry scored 21 points in a 67-51 loss to Tulsa. Over his last four games, all as a starter, Mason is averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and shooting 50.0 percent (21-of-42) from the field.
No Turnovers
Travis Diener?s zero turnover effort on January 7 at Houston marked the 28th time in his career, and fifth this season, he didn?t record a turnover in a game. Diener has committed three or fewer turnovers in 14-of-18 games and has a C-USA-best 3.1-to-1 assistto- turnover ratio.
Below 60 Leads to Victory
When holding its opponents to 60 points or fewer, Marquette has won 15 consecutive, 33-of-34, and is 45-5 (.900) under Tom Crean. MU has held seven opponents to 60 or fewer this season, including its first two C-USA opponents (Houston - 52 & Saint Louis - 59).
The Golden Eagles five losses came on:
Jan. 29, 2000 at Charlotte L, 60-54
Feb. 16, 2000 vs. DePaul L, 55-35
Feb. 26, 2000 vs. Memphis L, 53-49
Dec. 23, 2000 vs. Wisconsin L, 52-47
Feb. 26, 2002 at East Carolina L, 51-46
So Does 65
Since the beginning of the 2001-02 season, Marquette is 41-4 (.911) when holding its opponents to 65 or fewer points (01-02 02: 18-3; 02-03 03: 13-0; 03-04 04: 10-1).
The Golden Eagles four losses came on:
Dec. 29, 2001 at Wake Forest L, 64-59
Feb. 22, 2002 at Cincinnati L, 63-62
Feb. 26, 2002 at East Carolina L, 51-46
Dec. 20, 2003 at Wisconsin L, 63-59
On Track For 1,000 Points
Should Travis Diener and Scott Merritt continue to hit their scoring averages of 16.8 and 12.4, respectively, for the remainder of the season, both could reach the 1,000 career-point mark. Through 18 games, Diener has 955 career points and Merritt has 925.
Marquette vs. TCU
Tuesday?s match-up is only the third all-time between Marquette and TCU. The Golden Eagles lead the series 2-0, including a 78-67 victory in Fort Worth on February 22, of last year.
Career Day For Novak
Steve Novak established new career-highs for points (30), three-point field goals (8), three-point field-goals attempted (13), field-goals (9), field-goals attempted (16) and minutes (37) in Saturday?s victory over Louisville. Novak came up one three-point field-goal shy of the all-time Marquette record for threes made in a game, set by Mark Anglavar against Butler on February 1, 1990. Novak?s eight three-point field-goals were the most ever by a Golden Eagle in a Conference USA game, breaking the old mark of six held by five players.
Second Best Road Victory All-Time
Marquette?s victory over No. 4 Louisville was only the program?s second on the road win over a Top 5-ranked opponent. The Golden Eagles only other road victory over a Top 5 opponent came on January 7, 1997, when they won at No. 4 Iowa State, 67-64.
Novak Earns Multiple Weekly Awards
Steve Novak was named ESPN.com National Player of the Week, Dick Vitale?s Co-Player of the Week and Conference USA Men?s Basketball Co- Player of the Week, for the week ending February 1. Novak had a career day in the Golden Eagles? 77-70 victory over No. 4 Louisville on Saturday, recording career-highs in points (30), field-goals made (9), three-point field-goals made (8), minutes (37), rebounds (8) and steals (3). Novak, who is Marquette?s all-time three-point field-goal percentage leader, shared the award with Charlotte?s Curtis Withers. All three awards were firsts for Novak in his career.
Top Defensive Effort
The Golden Eagles had arguably their best defensive effort of the year against Louisville, holding the Cardinals to season-low shooting from the field (32.8 percent) and from behind the 3-point arc (14.7 percent). Marquette held the Cardinals to a season-low eight assists and closed out the first half by not allowing a field-goal the last 8:04.
Stretch of Success
The Golden Eagles have won 66 of their last 84 (.786) games overall, and 31 of their last 39 (.795) in C-USA, dating back to the 2001-02 season.
Bradley Center Advantage
The Golden Eagles have won 39-of-41 and are 61-10 (.859) overall at the Bradley Center under Tom Crean. Marquette is 190-61 (.757) all-time at the downtown arena.
Marquette In C-USA
Marquette has won 17-of-19 at home and 14-of-20 on the road in Conference USA dating back to the 2001-02 season. Marquette?s 81-50 (.618) record in the eight-plus years of Conference USA?s existence is third-best overall in league history trailing only Cincinnati (104-27/.794) and Memphis (85-45/.654).
Moving Up The Charts
Travis Diener continues to establish himself as one of the all-time great three-point shooters in Marquette history. With 174 career three-point field goals, the 6-1 junior needs five three-pointers to pass Tony Smith and move into sixth all-time.
