The blue and gold ribbons adorning streetlamps down Wisconsin Avenue can only mean one thing – March Madness is here!
Every college basketball fan anxiously awaits this time of year, when schools from around the country compete for the ultimate prize. New to following basketball and looking to get swept up in the excitement? Here’s what you need to know.
The men’s team will take part in the NCAA Tournament, which takes place each March and April. Sixty-eight teams compete and are ranked, or seeded, based on their accomplishments during the regular season. The tournament is played in a single-elimination format, meaning teams that win move on to the next round, while their foes’ seasons come to an end. The last team remaining is the national champion.
The women’s team is playing in a relatively new event, the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, which is made up of the best teams not selected for the NCAA Tournament. Thirty-two teams make up the field, competing in a similar bracket format for a chance at the title bout in Indianapolis’ Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Get in the spirit!
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to don Marquette spirit wear on women’s and men’s basketball game days throughout the NCAA Tournament.
Watch parties will be held for both the men’s and women’s opening games. The women kick things off on Thursday, March 20, at 2 p.m. The game will be streaming on TVs on the first floor of the Alumni Memorial Union, with snacks available in the first-floor lobby.
The men will follow on Friday, March 21, at 6:25 p.m. The game will be streamed on the Union Sports Annex Court, with food and cheer items available.
As for the first-round matchups?
No. 7 men’s basketball vs. No. 10 New Mexico
When: 6:25 p.m. on Friday, March 21
Where: Cleveland
Where to watch: TBS
What you should know about Marquette
The Golden Eagles are making their 37th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and a fourth straight under head coach Shaka Smart. Marquette is led by All-Big East First Team selection Kam Jones, a semifinalist for national player of the year, who averages 19.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. David Joplin also received Big East all-conference honors, earning a spot on the third team, while Royce Parham was named to the all-freshman team. Stevie Mitchell, the conference’s Scholar Athlete of the Year, is also a finalist for the nation’s best defender.
Marquette is playing New Mexico for the second time in program history. The Lobos won the first matchup, 75-68, on Dec. 21, 2013, at the MGM Grand Showcase benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in Las Vegas.
The Golden Eagles’ foe
New Mexico is coming off its first conference title in 12 years, going 17-3 to top the Mountain West. The Lobos are coached by Richard Pitino – a familiar name for Golden Eagles fans. His father Rick coaches St. John’s, who bested Marquette in the Big East Tournament on Friday. The squad has its own star guard in Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent, who shoots an impressive 41.5% from 3-point range. This marks a second consecutive appearance in the tournament for New Mexico; the Lobos fell to sixth-seeded Clemson in their first outing last year.
Women’s Basketball vs. No. 4 Drake
When: 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 20
Where: Des Moines, Iowa
Where to watch: ESPN+
What you should know about Marquette
The Golden Eagles are making a postseason appearance in their first year under coach Cara Consuegra, who was named Big East Co-Coach of the Year after guiding Marquette to a 20-win regular season. The group far exceeded expectations as Consuegra rebuilt the roster, securing a fourth-place finish after being predicted to finish 10th by the conference’s coaches. All-Big East First Team selection Skylar Forbes was a big reason why. She’s averaging 15.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore. And don’t forget about second-team selection Lee Volker. The former Duke Blue Devil is averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals.
The Golden Eagles’ foe
Remember the name Katie Dinnebier, the back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. While the Bulldogs fell short of winning a third straight MVC Tournament title, she put up a valiant effort with 45 points against top-seeded Murray State in the semifinals. Drake finished third in the conference in the regular season with a 15-5 record. Marquette has gone 2-2 all time against Drake, besting the Bulldogs in the teams’ last meeting in 2004.
