Marquette

[89rabbit]

It is time to focus on our next game.  Another trip to Milwaukee, this time to play Marquette.  If you are going to pick up your first D-I win, why not a truly recognizable school! 8)   Here is Marquette's basketball web site:

http://www.gomarquette.com/index.php...=1&reset=Y

I noticed that Marquette is one of the many D-I schools in transition. They are in C-USA this year and are moving to the Big East for next season.

Go Jackrabbits, beat the Golden Eagles!  ;D

[jacksfaninne]

Re: Marquette

Where's the pregame?

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: Marquette

The last I heard the pregame is going to be at Major Goolsby's. Goolsby's is probably the number one sports bar in town and is located one block south of the Bradley Center. Here is the address: 340 W. Kilbourn Ave. Also, the ticket scalpers congregate on the corner outside Goolsby's so tickets would be readily available. Although, if the crowd at last week's UWM game is any indication, the demand for tickets will not be very high.

[jacksfaninne]

Re: Marquette

Thanks. If traffic isn't too bad coming in from Brookfield after 5, we'll try to stop in. We're set with tickets, so we don't have to mess around with that.

[89rabbit]

Re: Marquette

Story Highlights from the Argus:

http://www.argusleader.com/sports/Tuesdayarticle2.shtml

SDSU men tangle with Marquette
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

published: 12/7/2004

NBA star Shaq could attend tonight's game

MILWAUKEE - When South Dakota State takes the court tonight against Marquette, the game likely will take second stage to the pregame festivities.

Just before tipoff of the 7 p.m. game at the Bradley Center, the Golden Eagles will honor Dwyane Wade, the current NBA star who led Marquette to the Final Four two years ago. He's in Milwaukee with the Miami Heat to play the Bucks, and there's a pretty good chance the Jackrabbits might see his new teammate, Shaquille O'Neal, sauntering around the arena.

As if SDSU needs any reminders about the quantum leap to Division I.

With Wade in street clothes, he'll get a chance to watch his former backcourt partner Travis Diener up close. Diener, a senior point guard who is a candidate for the John Wooden Award and a preseason All-American, could be the best player SDSU faces all year.

Diener is averaging 21.9 points and 5.7 assists a game while shooting better than 48 percent from the field. He is hitting 50 percent of his 3-point tries. There's a very good chance that he too will end up in the NBA next season.

Marquette forwards Dameon Mason (15.3 ppg) and Steve Novak (15.1 ppg) are reliable secondary scoring threats as well. . . .

This year, the Golden Eagles are 7-0 under Coach Tom Crean and gunning for their final chance at a Conference USA championship. Marquette moves into the Big East next season.

Freshman Steve Holdren is leading the Jackrabbits with 15.2 points a game, while sophomore Ben Beran is averaging 6.7 boards a contest. SDSU (1-5) is coming off a heart-breaking loss, falling 59-58 to Southeast Missouri State on Saturday when a last-second 3-pointer fell.

Marquette leads the series with SDSU 3-0, having won the last meeting between the two schools in 1959.

Go Jackrabbits, beat the Golden Eagles! ;D

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

Jacks have absolutely nothing to lose.  I can't even imagine what it would be like to play against a team that has appeared in the NCAA DI tournament 20 plus times and won a championship (1977).

Looks like Diener won't play tonight.

Marquette guard Travis Diener injures ankle during practice
Associated Press


MILWAUKEE - Marquette point guard Travis Diener injured his right ankle diving for a ball during a rebounding drill, and coach Tom Crean said it was doubtful Diener would play Tuesday night against South Dakota State.

The senior was injured during practice Monday when 6-foot-10, 245-pound teammate Chris Grimm landed on the 6-1, 175-pounder's lower leg.

"Its unfortunate. It was just a freak accident during the course of practice, nothing different than we do any other day the day before a game," Crean said.

X-rays were negative, but Diener is expected to undergo additional tests and Crean said the guard's status was expected to be day-to-day for a while.

However, the injury was not the same ankle that Diener sprained while driving to the basket late in the Golden Eagles' National Invitation Tournament loss last March at Iowa State.

---

[89rabbit]

Re: Marquette

That is a huge break for us. While I never want to say a player hurt and I hope he recovers fully, it is still a break for us. I think that Travis Diener was going to be the best player that we would see all year.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Marquette

This is a learning process for us and I think we benefit from playing against players of the calibre of Diener. A win over Marquette is still a long shot and while it would be quite and accomplishment with or without Diener I would rather play them at full strength.

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

This is a learning process for us and I think we  benefit from playing against players of the calibre of Diener. A win over Marquette is still a long shot and while it would be quite and accomplishment with or without Diener I would rather play them at full strength.

I agree and if I were Holdren or Beran I would want a shot at guarding this caliber a player. No one else on our squad would have a prayer against him. I would have liked to have seen Stoebner or Estling play against a guy like Diener. Remember Casey Estling, guy wouldn't back down from anyone.

[sports_buff]

Re: Marquette

I would have liked to have seen Stoebner or Estling play against a guy like Diener.  Remember Casey Estling, guy wouldn't back down from anyone.

I think ole Estling would back down from Ryan Miller if he saw him again. Miller lit Estling up for 45 points last time they saw each other. Estling was blue collar though, I'll give you that. I was mostly kidding with that Miller comment.

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

I think ole Estling would back down from Ryan Miller if he saw him again.  Miller lit Estling up for 45 points last time they saw each other.  Estling was blue collar though, I'll give you that. I was mostly kidding with that Miller comment.

I kept expecting Estling to knock him out of the arena with a forearm to the chin but he never did it. If he would have the resultant technical may have hurt initially but the end result of the game may have been different. I was not and am not a dirty player, but I would have been more physical with Miller. I remember wishing I could jump out on the floor and do it for him. I still have nightmares about that game!

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

I see in this weeks AP poll that both Marquette and UW-Milwaukee are receiving votes. Do you suppose UW-M's big win over us helped them in the eyes of the voters? ;D

Following tonights game, things get interesting from a scheduling standpoint. Denver is tough but a more on par with SEMO than Marquette, I think its winnable. Then Michigan Tech comes to Frost. They're normally a strong team but have struggled early in the season with narrow wins over UMD and SCSU (both down this year). They always play well against us. This will be a key game for our players and fans. A dominant performance will go a long way towards improving everyones spirits.

Then its Tennessee St on the road and back home for the 2 Wayne States. All 3 games are winnable. Best case scenario (IMHO), we play well tonight but lose on the road to a nationally ranked DI team. We bounce back with our first DI win in Denver (will not be easy, they look good early in the season). Then we take the next 4, 3 at Frost against DII teams and one on the road in Tennessee. That would even our record at 6-6 as we enter 2005. I think we would all take that. I didn't say this was likely, just best case. I'm feeling optimistic today, must be the caffiene. We'll see how I feel after the game tonight.

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

Charlie Brown for the kids, Jacks vs Golden Eagles for me. Now lets just hang with them for a half or so. I'll take that.

[Dakota]

Re: Marquette --ESPN's story

Here is ESPN's story on this[hr]


Tuesday, December 7, 2004


ESPN.com news services
Marquette point guard Travis Diener hurt his ankle at practice Monday and is doubtful for Tuesday's game against South Dakota State and questionable for Saturday's game against rival Wisconsin (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. 24 AP), according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report.


Diener is ninth in Division I scoring with an average of 21.9 points per game.


He was hurt when he and teammate Chris Grimm both went for a loose ball in a rebounding drill and 245-pound Grimm landed on Diener's lower right leg, the newspaper reported. X-rays were negative, but Diener left the Al McGuire Center on crutches and was expected to undergo additional testing, according to the Journal Sentinel.


"I would say he is doubtful for [tonight] and day-to-day after that," coach Tom Crean told reporters. "It's unfortunate. It was just a freak accident during the course of practice, nothing different than we do any other day the day before a game. It was too bad because he was really practicing well. We certainly look forward to hopefully hearing some good news, but we'll deal with whatever happens."


The Golden Eagles could use some good news -- and fast -- because Diener's primary backup, junior Joe Chapman was hit in the head shortly after 6-1, 175-pounder got hurt and also missed the end of practice, according to the newspaper. The absence of those two would leave Marquette with sophomore Dameon Mason, the starter at shooting guard, and freshman walk-on Rob Hanley as its possible point men, though Crean expects Chapman to return quickly.


"They were battling today," Crean told reporters, talking about the physical nature of the practice. "I have a lot more confidence that Joe will be out there [Tuesday] than Travis."


Information from SportsTicker was used in this report.

[jackmd]

Re: Marquette

Sounds like the majority of the Heat players are there. At least Shaq and Wade. I wonder if the Jacks players will have a chance to meet them. I would take that.