Marquette University Athletics
Marquette opens NIT play Monday at home
3/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 12, 2005 ? Marquette will open the 2005 postseason on Monday, March 14 hosting Western Michigan, from the Mid American Conference, at the Bradley Center in the first round of the 2005 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The game will be broadcast nationally by ESPN with tip-off set for 8:00 p.m. CT.
?We are very excited to still have the opportunity to play, to be playing at home, and to have the nation through ESPN see our tremendous home crowd again,? said head coach Tom Crean.
The Golden Eagles (19-11) and Broncos (19-12) have played 28 times with MU holding a 21-7 series advantage. The last meeting between the two occurred on December 4, 1999 in the opening round of the Blue & Gold Classic. Marquette won that game 76-69.
MU has won 12 of the last 13 games in the series, with Western Michigan?s lone victory a 68-63 decision on January 9, 1989.
Marquette will be making its 38th postseason appearance all-time, ninth most in Division I, and its 15th in the postseason NIT. The Golden Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT last season before falling at Iowa State, 77-69.
Western Michigan, a NCAA tournament team in 2004, will be making their third appearance all-time in the postseason NIT.
?Western Michigan is a very battle-tested team over the last few seasons,? said Crean. ?They play excellent basketball and are very good on the road. This promises to be a very exciting game.?
Tickets for Monday?s game can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets or on- line at www.ticketmaster.com beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 12, or in person at the Al McGuire Center ticket office beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT on Monday, March 14. Tickets are $27, $17, $9.
Tickets for Marquette students are $5 and go on-sale Monday morning at the Al McGuire Center ticket office beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT. The first 500 students will receive tickets free of charge.
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