WBB Hosts First-Time Opponent In Truman State

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's basketball team hosts Truman State on Saturday at noon CT at the Al McGuire Center before taking a week off for Christmas. The contest closes out the nonconference portion of the Golden Eagles' 2025-26 schedule.

Saturday's game will stream on ESPN+ with Bob Brainred and Chloe Marotta on the call.

THE STARTING FIVE

Coming off an 89-53 defeat at No. 1 UConn, Marquette heads back home to the Al McGuire Center this weekend where the Golden Eagles are 5-0 this season and have lost just twice under Cara Consuegra (18-2).
In what was viewed as a weakness in Cara Consuegra's first year, the 3-ball has become a strength for the Golden Eagles in Year 2. MU sits ninth in the country at 39.3%. Five of the team's seven players who have attempted 10 or more this season are shooting above a 40% clip.
With more depth in 2025-26, the Golden Eagles' strength still lies within their starting five which has not changed through the opening 11 games. The group is accounting for 77.4% of the team's scoring thus far. Three of its five starters are averaging double figures.
Averaging just under 20 points per game since Thanksgiving, Skylar Forbes has jumped to fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring at 15.9 points per game.
Marquette's strength this season comes in its experience and continuity as the program is the only one in Division I women's college basketball to return all of its players from the 2024-25 season.

FLASHING BACK - GAME 11 AT UCONN

Marquette has lost its last seven games against ranked opponents.
The Golden Eagles fall to 0-8 all-time against No. 1 teams, with all eight losses coming against UConn.
Marquette forced 16 turnovers, one shy of UConn's most in a game this season.
MU committed 21 turnovers, its most since the season opener. MU had not committed 20 or more turnovers in a game since Nov. 8.
Marquette was held below 40% shooting (38.2%) for the third time this season (1-2).
Skylar Forbes finished with a team-high 17 points, the time she has led MU this season in scoring.

FACING NEW OPPONENTS
Marquette will see its third new opponent of the season on Saturday. The Golden Eagles opened the season facing first-time opponent Winthrop. Last Sunday, they faced their second in D-I opponent Le Moyne and will host their third in D-II opponent Truman State on Saturday.

3-POINT EFFICIENCY INCREASE
Year 1 under Cara Consuegra saw the Golden Eagles struggle from outside, shooting just 30.7% which ranked 194th in the nation. During the offseason, changing that was a point of emphasis. Through nine games, Marquette is shooting 39.3%, a near 9% increase, which ranks ninth in the NCAA.

Four Golden Eagles are shooting north of 40%. Olivia Porter is at 50.0% (9-of-18), Jaidynn Mason is at 47.1% (8-of-17), Skylar Forbes is at 40.7% (24-of-59) and Lee Volker is at 40.4%(21-of-52).
The increased efficiency from beyond the arc has also resulted in more 3-pointers per game as MU is averaging 8.5 per game, an increase of 3.3 from last season.

MAKE 'EM COUNT
In each of the Golden Eagles' first two games, MU attempted at least 18 free throws. At Minnesota, they attempted just three. The charity stripe has been just that--charity for Marquette--as the team is shooting 77.5%, the 25th-highest mark in the NCAA this year.

Forty-six of the team's 125 attempts have come from Lee Volker (22-of-24) and Jaidynn Mason (21-of-24).

DIVERSIFYING THE OPTIONS
While Skylar Forbes is the Golden Eagles' top scorer at 15.9 points per game, three others have shown that they too can carry the scoring load. Two of MU's other starters--Halle Vice, Lee Volker--are also averaging double figures.

Along with Jaidynn Mason who is averaging 9.5 points per game, each of the four have led Marquette in scoring this season and all four have each posted at least one 20-point game.

SHARING THE ROCK
With an uptick in scoring in recent weeks, part of that can be attributed to Marquette's ball movement. MU recorded its fourth and fifth games this year with 20 or more assists this month. The Golden Eagles sit 17th in the NCAA in assists per game at 18.9.

Of the teams ranked in the Top 20 in assists per game, Marquette is one of four that does not have a player averaging at least 4.0 per game, joining Iowa, LSU and Villanova. MU has five players averaging between 2.1-3.9 assists per game.

MY TEAM IS ON THE COURT
When it comes to coaches tinkering with starting lineups, Head Coach Cara Consuegra isn't one of them. Last season, Consuegra found what worked for Marquette during conference play and has stuck with it ever since. Dating back to Jan. 15, 2025 versus Seton Hall, the Golden Eagles have had the same starting five for 27 consecutive games.