Golden Eagles Host No. 11/10 Hoyas Saturday Afternoon

Feb. 28, 2008

The 21/21 Marquette University men's basketball team returns home for a key BIG EAST Conference matchup with No. 11/10 Georgetown Saturday afternoon at the Bradley Center at 1 p.m. CT. The Golden Eagles will put their five-game winning streak on the line in front of a national television broadcast on CBS. Gus Johnson (play-by-play) and Clark Kellogg (analyst) will call the action in MU's 12th national production of the campaign. Saturday's contest is the final league game at home this season, with "Senior Night" festivities scheduled for Tuesday's non-league matchup with Florida Gulf Coast.

James Keys Victory At Villanova
Junior guard Dominic James collected one of his better all-around performances of the season in the win over Villanova, displaying the credentials that earned him a spot on the preseason all-league roster.

The Richmond, Ind., native concluded his 33 minutes of action with a season-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. He also chipped in six steals (personal best), four assists and three rebounds and his five 3-point baskets also marked a collegiate high.

Ranked among the league leaders in steals this season, James' six thefts versus the Wildcats moved him into ninth all-time at Marquette with 162.

Turning Turnovers Into Points Critical For Marquette
Ranked among the national leaders in steals, Marquette has recorded 15 thefts in each of its last two games.

As a result of MU's defensive effort, both Rutgers and St. John's turned the ball over 23 times, leading to an average of 30.5 points per game (nearly 40 percent of the offensive total) for the Golden Eagles.

Marquette turned the 23 miscues by the Scarlet Knights into 28 points and followed that up with 33 points off turnovers against the Wildcats Monday night. Junior Jerel McNeal led the way with five steals versus Rutgers while classmate Dominic James grabbed six against Villanova.

Acker Provides Spark Off The Bench Against Wildcats
Sophomore guard Maurice Acker chipped in a team-best 12 points off the bench Monday night at Villanova, surpassing his point total from the previous five games combined.

Acker finished the night 3-of-5 from the field, with a pair of 3-pointers, and also knocked down all four of his free throw attempts. He saw 13 minutes of action en route to his season-high point total and also grabbed a pair of rebounds.

The Hazelcrest, Ill., native put the Golden Eagles ahead for good with a trey at the 10-minute mark of the second half.