Ring Out Ahoya: Marquette Basketball Update v. HBU and CSU

Here to provide you with brief game summery and lots of great photos for the Marquette Basketball Games you might have missed this weekend.

Friday was the home opener against Houston Baptist University, a former D-II team that is making the jump up to D-I this year. The game was never really close, with Marquette coasting to an easy 95-64 victory over the Huskies (a nickname that led to some Alaska jokes within the student section). The most noteworthy aspect of the blowout was that it marks the first regular season win for Buzz Williams, our new head coach. Buzz was an assistant last year under Tom Crean until Crean -"Judas"- jumped ship for Indiana this summer. I'm sure he's having fun with an unranked team while the Golden Eagles are a comfortable #16 or #17. Here is the game recap story from Marquette's Athletic Department website.

The view from the student section


Even Alaskan Bears like MU basketball!


Jon Plaza: pumped as usual


Nick and Liz: "It's game time!"


Timeout Festivities


Monday's game against Chicago State was much more close, but much less fun to watch. First of all, the student section, and for that matter, the rest of the Bradley center, was much more empty. The Monday evening tip-off and recent snowfall really killed attendance. Chicago State is much more highly touted than HBU and it showed. For the first half they were able to hang with Marquette, to a point. The second half of the game was PAINFULLY slow. The referees decided that any contact on either side of the ball warranted a whistle, leading to a mind-bending 68 free throws being hoisted on 56 fouls. CSU was able to pull within 9 pts. late in the second half, but a run from Marquette locked things up and all they had to do was wait out the myriad whistles. Final result, Marquette = 2-0 in 2008 after a 106-87 victory.


Lazar (32), Wes (23), and Dwight (12) set up some D


Dominic James hoists up a FT

Saturday's game is a big one against cross town rival University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Rumor has it that the Bradley Center is sold out and should be pretty packed. The matchup hasn't been particularly competitive in recent years, but there is some history to the two teams meeting (and a rumor of free T-Shirts for students that show up early!)

One Lost Out