#MUBB to face WKU in NCAA First Round

NCAA Bracket

MILWAUKEE – The No. 10/10 Marquette University men's basketball team (25-9, 14-6 BIG EAST) has earned an at-large bid to the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and will face Western Kentucky in the first round on Friday, March 22 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Golden Eagles are the No. 2 seed in the South Region and will face 15th-seeded WKU. Tip time and television coverage will be announced later this evening. Marquette's only prior matchup against the Hilltoppers came in the opening round of the 1976 NCAA Championship in Dayton, Ohio, which resulted in a 79-60 MU victory on March 13, 1976.

Due to anticipated demand and limited ticket quantity, the Marquette ticket office does not foresee any availability to order tickets to the first and second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Should conditions change, ticket availability will be communicated.

Marquette is making its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament and is participating in a third-consecutive event for first time since 2012-13 (last of eight-straight trips). The program, which claimed the national title in 1977 under legendary head coach Al McGuire, also owns 16 trips to the Sweet Sixteen and has participated in the Final Four on three occasions (1974, 1977, 2003).

The Golden Eagles earned the No. 2 seed for the first time in school history in 2022-23 and defeated Vermont, 78-61, before falling to 10th-seeded Michigan State, 69-60, in Columbus, Ohio.

2023-24 Season Highlights

Third-year head coach Shaka Smart is 71-28 at Marquette and has led the team to three-straight NCAA tournament appearances.
The Golden Eagles finished tied for second in the BIG EAST Conference and earned the No. 3 seed in the league tournament.
Guard Tyler Kolek (All-BIG EAST First Team) and forward Oso Ighodaro (All-BIG EAST Second Team) were honored for the second-straight season.
Marquette has been ranked as high as fourth in the country and in the top-20 the entire season and played a total of four games (vs. Kansas, vs. Purdue, at UConn, vs. UConn) against teams ranked No. 1 or 2.

Program Postseason History

1977 NCAA Champions (defeated North Carolina 67-59 in Atlanta in Al McGuire's last game).
The program is making 36th NCAA appearance, tied for 10th-highest total all-time (42-36 all-time record).
It is the 53rd postseason appearance for MU (36 NCAA, 16 NIT, 1 National Catholic Championship; top-10 among all Division I programs).
Three trips to the Final Four (1974, 1977, 2003)
16 trips to the Sweet 16 (most recently 2012-13 – Elite Eight)
One of just 20 schools to have won both an NCAA and NIT Championship (1970)

Keep up with the Marquette men's basketball program through social media by following on X (@MarquetteMBB) and Instagram (@marquette.basketball) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMensBB).

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Players Mentioned

Oso Ighodaro

Tyler Kolek

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