Game 24 | Feb. 27 | Marquette (11-12, 6-10 BIG EAST) at UConn (11-6, 8-6 BIG EAST) TIP‐OFF: 1:30 p.m. CT LOCATION: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion - Storrs, CT MU SCOREBOARD TV: FOX features the broadcast, with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Donny DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME Marshall (analyst) calling the action. Nov. 25 UAPB W, 99-57 RADIO: 94.5 ESPN FM is the flagship of the MU Radio Network, with Steve Nov. 27 Eastern Illinois W, 75-50 “The Homer” True (play-by-play) and Dan Fitzgerald (analyst). Big 12-BIG EAST Battle MU CONTACT INFO: Scott Kuykendall handles the communications duties Dec. 1 Oklahoma State L, 70-62 for MU and can be reached at 414.807.3490 or [email protected]. Dec. 4 4/7 Wisconsin W, 67-65 he Marquette University men’s basketball team (11-12, 6-10 BIG EAST) Dec. 8 Green Bay W, 82-68 T returns to BIG EAST action on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. CT when Dec. 11 at UCLA L, 69-60 the squad travels to UConn (11-6, 8-6 BIG EAST). FOX features the television Dec. 14 9/9 at Creighton * W, 89-84 broadcast, with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Donny Marshall (analyst) call- Dec. 17 Seton Hall * L, 70-63 ing the action. Following Saturday’s outing, the Golden Eagles will continue Dec. 20 at Xavier * L, 91-88 their month-long, six-game road swing at DePaul on Tuesday, March 2. Dec. 23 5/3 Villanova * L, 85-68 Jan. 2 at Georgetown * W, 64-60 Short Series Has Plenty Of Highlights Jan. 5 UConn * L, 65-54 Marquette has faced UConn on Series Snapshot Jan. 8 at Villanova * PPD just 10 occasions all-time, but the Jan. 12 Providence * W, 79-69 limited series has already provided Overall MU leads 6-4 Jan. 16 at St. John’s * W, 73-71 @ Marquette UConn leads 3-2 a number of memories. Jan. 20 Georgetown * PPD @ UConn MU leads 4-1 The Golden Eagles own a 6-4 Jan. 23 DePaul * L, 68-61 advantage, dating back to the pro- Neutral -- RECENT RESULTS Jan. 27 at Providence * L, 72-63 OT gram’s first year in the BIG EAST in J 10, 2007 A Marquette 73, #24 UConn 69 Jan. 31 St. John’s * L, 75-73 2005-06. MU hosted the Huskies at J 20, 2008 A UConn 89, Marquette 73 F 25, 2009 H #2 UConn 93, #8 Marquette 82 Feb. 2 Butler * W, 70-67 the Bradley Center on Jan. 3, 2006 J 30, 2010 A Marquette 70, #19 UConn 68 J 25, 2011 H #5 UConn 76, Marquette 68 Feb. 6 15/12 Creighton * L, 71-68 in the team’s first home game as a F 24, 2011 A Marquette 74, #14 UConn 67 (OT) member of the BIG EAST F 18, 2012 A #12 Marquette 79, UConn 64 Feb. 10 5/4 at Villanova * L, 96-64 J 1, 2013 H Marquette 82, UConn 76 (OT) Conference. Steve Novak finished J 5, 2021 H UConn 65, Marquette 54 Feb. 14 at Seton Hall * L, 57-51 with 41 points and 16 rebounds Feb. 17 at Butler * W, 73-57 and Jerel McNeal chipped in 19 points and 12 boards in a 94-79 Marquette Feb. 24 at North Carolina W, 83-70 victory over No. 2 UConn to hand the Huskies their first loss of the season. Feb. 27 at UConn * 1:30 p.m. Other series highlights include a game-winning shot by Jimmy Butler with Mar. 2 at DePaul * 8 p.m. three seconds left in a 70-68 win on the road on Jan. 30, 2010 and an over- Mar. 6 Xavier * 8 p.m. time win by Marquette at home on Jan. 1, 2013 when Junior Cadougan BIG EAST Tournament forced the extra session on at 3-pointer as time expired in regulation. Mar. 10 First Round TBA At least one of the teams has been nationally ranked in 7-of-10 outings. Mar. 11 Quarterfinals TBA Mar. 12 Semifinals TBA Team Effort Leads To Win At UNC Mar. 13 Championship TBA Freshman forward Dawson Garcia’s third double-double (24 points, 11 rebounds) of the season led the way, but Marquette received numerous * - indicates BIG EAST Conference game contributions in the win at North Carolina. AP/ESPN Top-25 rankings as of time game was played All eight players to see action scored for Marquette, with four finishing All times are Central in double figures. The Golden Eagles finished 51.8 percent from the floor and featured a first-time starting lineup combination of D.J. Carton, Greg Elliott, Jamal Cain, Theo John and Garcia. Guard Koby McEwen came off the bench for the first time at MU after starting his first 51 appearances. Marquette Game Notes Page 2 INJURY REPORT LAST GAME STARTERS Player (Injury) Status NAME POS. PPG. RPG. APG. FG% FT% Gardiner (knee) Out D.J. Carton G 12.8 3.7 3.5 .449 .732 Ighodaro (foot) Out Greg Elliott G 5.8 1.7 0.7 .482 .853 Lewis (ankle) Questionable Jamal Cain F 9.8 6.1 1.1 .448 .724 Dawson Garcia F 13.1 6.7 0.8 .486 .787 MARQUETTE IN THE Theo John F 8.7 5.7 1.3 .579 .732 BIG EAST STATS Elliott Makes Most Of Starting Nods statistics through 2/24/21 Guard Greg Elliott has started each of the team’s last two outings, both victories, Team making the most of his increased role on the floor. SCORING OFFENSE: . .9th (70.3) In the last two games against Butler (Feb. 17) and North Carolina, Elliott has averaged SCORING DEFENSE: . .7th (69.9) 16.0 points, 4.5 boards and 2.5 steals per contest while shooting 50.0 percent (9-of-18) FT PERCENTAGE: . .5th (73.3) from the floor overall and 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) from behind the 3-point line. He also FG PERCENTAGE: . .6th (44.5) knocked down 8-of-9 free throw attempts. ASSISTS: . .9th (12.6) The Detroit native netted a personal-best 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor STEALS: . .10th (5.2) against Butler, including a 3-of-6 effort from behind the 3-point line. He also chipped in BLOCKED SHOTS: . .7th (3.9) six rebounds and a steal in 28 minutes. FG PCT. DEFENSE: . .3rd (41.0) Elliott now owns seven starting assignments in 82 career appearances. Prior to the OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS: . .6th (10.0) game at Butler, Marquette had featured the same starting unit in 18-straight games. DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS: . .4th (26.7) 3-PT FG’S MADE: . .9th (151) Cain Doubles Up For Second Time Senior forward Jamal Cain came off the bench for the first time this season at Butler Individual on Feb. 17, but he didn’t let that keep him from recording a personal-best performance. SCORING The Pontiac, Michigan, native collected his second career double-double, finishing Dawson Garcia . .15th (13.1 ppg.) with 14 points and 14 rebounds (personal best) in 33 minutes of action. He shot 5-of-9 D.J. Carton . .17th (12.8 ppg.) from the floor overall and also found time to chip in two assists and a pair of steals. Koby McEwen . .28th (11.2 ppg.) Cain’s first double-double was a 13-point, 13-carom effort against Oklahoma State on Dec. 1 at Fiserv Forum. REBOUNDING Dawson Garcia . .11th (6.7 rpg.) John Continues To Be More Accepting Of Charity Jamal Cain . .17th (6.1 rpg.) In his first three seasons at Marquette, forward Theo John combined to shoot just Theo John . .19th (5.7 rpg.) 52.5 percent (105-of-200) from the free throw line, but has been much more accepting of charity in 2020-21. BLOCKED SHOTS The Minneapolis, Minnesota, native has knocked down 73.2 percent (52-of-71) of his Theo John . .5th (1.7 bpg.) opportunities this season, including 16-of-19 (84.2 percent) in the last three outings. He was 8-of-9 from the stripe against Butler on Feb. 17, his best effort since finishing 9-of- ASSISTS 10 in the season lidlifter against UAPB on Nov. 25. D.J. Carton . .11th (3.5 apg.) FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE Garcia Making Name For Himself In BIG EAST Dawson Garcia . .11th (.486) Dawson Garcia, the Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, has already claimed the league’s weekly top newcomer accolade on three occasions and is proving himself to be one of the conference’s top players (ranked in six categories), regardless of class. Record By Starting Lineup Through games of Feb. 24, the Prior Like, Minnesota, native is ranked among the Torrence, McEwen......................2-1 league leaders in scoring (15th, 13.1 ppg.), rebounding (11th, 6.7 rpg.), field goal percent- John, Cain, Garcia age (11th, .486), free throw percentage (10th, .787), defensive rebounds (14th, 4.4 drpg.) Carton, McEwen ......................7-11 and offensive rebounds (6th, 2.3 orpg.). John, Cain, Garcia Garcia finished 9-of-13 from the floor at North Carolina, finishing with 24 points and Carton, McEwen ........................1-0 11 rebounds for his third double-double in BIG EAST play. John, Elliot, Garcia He is the top-ranked freshman in both scoring and rebounding and has scored double Carton, Cain................................1-0 figures in 10 league outings, including 20-or-more points six times. John, Elliot, Garcia Marquette Game Notes Page 3 Pronunciations 2020‐21 MARQUETTE ROSTER Dexter Akanno uh-CAN-oh NO.