#MUBB Hosts DePaul Wednesday To Begin Homestand

The Marquette University men's basketball team (19-6, 10-4 BIG EAST) opens a three-game homestand on Wednesday when the squad hosts DePaul (3-22, 0-14 BIG EAST) at 8 p.m. CT. FS1 features the broadcast, with Matt Schumacker (play-by-play) and LavVall Jordan (analyst) calling the action. Following Wednesday's action, the Golden Eagles will host Xavier on Sunday, Feb. 25 when the program celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1973-74 Final Four team.

Series With DePaul Spans Program History

Marquette's all-time series with DePaul dates back to the 1917-18 season (second year of MU's varsity history) and includes 134 previous meetings, the highest total against any single opponent in team history.

The Golden Eagles own an 84-50 advantage in the series and the extensive series history has been aided by the fact the two programs have been in the same league dating back to the 1991-92 campaign. Since that season, the teams have shared affiliation in the Great Midwest Conference, Conference USA and BIG EAST.

The Golden Eagles have won five of the last six contests, including an 86-73 win on Jan. 24 in Wintrust Arena.

BIG EAST Honors The Black Fives

During the month of February, the BIG EAST will celebrate Black History Month by partnering with the Black Fives Foundation, a nonprofit public charity whose mission is to research, preserve, showcase, teach, and honor the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball.

Prior to the integration of the National Basketball Association in 1950, a nationwide-barnstorming circuit was created of independent African American teams. This era, which ran from the early 1900s to 1950, became known as the "Black Fives" Era, referring to the five starting players on a basketball team whose skill, athleticism, and innovative style of play helped shaped and popularize the game.

For 22 games, the BIG EAST men's and women's basketball teams will be wearing the name and logo of a Black Fives Team to honor these pioneers.

Marquette will represent the Milwaukee Colored Panthers and DePaul the Savoy Big Five.

Marquette Returns Home For Stretch Run

Now that Marquette has completed its stretch of six road games in eight outings, the Golden Eagles will play away from Fiserv Forum just twice over the course of the final six BIG EAST outings.

Marquette, which collected a 7-1 overall record (5-1 on the road) in the last eight games, is one of just two teams (Providence in 2023-24) to play 6-of-8 outings on the road in league action in the last five seasons.

MU is 11-1 at home this season and 40-5 overall (23-3 in BIG EAST action) under third-year head coach Shaka Smart. The Golden Eagles have already collected a trio of sellouts in 2023-24 and both matchups against Xavier (Feb. 25) and UConn (March 6) are expected to be at capacity.

Ross Efficient Offensively Since Return

After missing all but one minute of a six-game stretch with a shoulder injury suffered at Seton Hall on Jan. 6, guard Chase Ross has made the most of his limited attempts at the offensive end since his return.

In the last five games, Ross has combined to shoot 11-of-20 (55.0 percent from the floor and 6-of-8 (75.0 percent) from behind the 3-point line in an average of 22.0 minutes per game. Since returning at Villanova (Jan. 30), Ross is contributing 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

Prior to his injury, Ross was shooting 40.8 percent from the floor overall and just 26.5 percent from distance.

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Players Mentioned

Chase Ross