#MUBB Welcomes Valpo To Fiserv Forum Tuesday Night

The Marquette University men's basketball team (4-4, 0-0 BIG EAST) wraps up the home portion of its non-conference schedule on Tuesday night when the squad hosts Valparaiso (5-2, 0-0 MVC) at 7 p.m. CT in Fiserv Forum. ESPN+ features the broadcast, with Josh Maurer (play-by-play) and Brian Butch (analyst) calling the action. Following Tuesday's outing, the Golden Eagles will conclude non-league action at Wisconsin (Dec. 6) and nationally ranked Purdue (Dec. 13).

Series With Valpo Dates Back To 1951-52

The Golden Eagles own a 21-5 advantage in the all-time series with Valparaiso, which dates back to the 1951-52 campaign.

The Crusaders claimed the first-ever meeting on Jan. 19, 1952 with a 63-60 win in Milwaukee. Marquette, coached by Tex Winter, would win the National Catholic Tournament in Troy, N.Y., that season.

In the most recent matchup, Indiana native Dominic James scored the team's final 18 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to allow the Golden Eagles to escape with a 65-62 road victory on Nov. 27, 2006.

Ross' Name Found Frequently In BIG EAST Stats

Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection Chase Ross is ranked among the league leaders in seven-different categories.

Ross extended his career-best double-figure streak to eight games (previous best was four-straight in 2024-25) with 21 points aginst Oklahoma on Nov. 28 and after entering the season with a pair of career games of 20-or-more points in 102 outings, he now owns four in the first eight contests this season.

Through games of Nov. 30, the Dallas native ranks among the league leaders in scoring (1st, 20.9 ppg.), field goal percentage (2nd, .520), free throw percentage (10th, .788), assists (6th, 4.1 apg.), steals (7th, 1.80 spg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (12th, 1.94) and minutes played (5th, 31.7 mpg.).

Player Development A Work In Progress

Along with Marquette's freshman class, the team's returnees find themselves in new roles on the 2025-26 roster and through eight games the season statistics are illustrating the on-the-court development.

As the team's primary offensive option, guard Chase Ross is averaging a career-best 20.9 points per game this season (10.5 ppg. in 2024-25), but in his 110 career appearances is contributing only 8.1 points per outing. Junior guard Zaide Lowery is playing over 10 more minutes per game and as a result has seen his scoring average jump from 4.1 points to 10.1 points per contest. Sophomore Caedin Hamilton, who averaged just 6.3 minutes per game as a reserve in 29 outings last year, has started all eight contests this season and is playing 18.5 minutes per night.

The freshman class of Nigel James Jr., Adrien Stevens, Josh Clark (redshirt) and Michael Phillips Jr. have combined to play an average of 56.0 minutes per game.

According to KenPom, Marquette ranks No. 13 in minutes continuity, but it's 199th in experience.

Parham Nets Season-High In Latest Outing

Sophomore forward Royce Parham finished with a season-high 13 points on Nov. 28 against Oklahoma, reaching double figures for the third time this season.

The Pittsburgh native finished 5-of-8 from the floor and knocked down each of his first three attempts from behind the 3-point line. He also chipped in four rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in a season-high 26 minutes of action.

Parham scored 10-or-more points just four times in 34 appearances in 2024-25.

James Jr. Earns Weekly BIG EAST Honors

Freshman guard Nigel James Jr. picked up his first-career conference accolade on Monday, earning a spot on the BIG EAST Conference Weekly Honor Roll.

The Huntington, N.Y., native scored a season-high 20 points against Oklahoma, finishing 8-of-15 from the floor in 30 minutes of action. He also chipped in four assists and three steals, reaching double figures four the fourth time this season.