Seniors Send Men's Basketball Out on Top

March 4, 2006

MILWAUKEE - Senior Steve Novak scored a game high 20 points -- 17 points in the second half -- as the Marquette men's basketball team cruised to a 88-78 victory over Providence on senior day at the Bradley Center. With the win, the Golden Eagles improve to 20-9, 1-6 BIG EAST , while the Friars fall to 12-15, 5-10 BIG EAST.

This win also marks the 85th win for the three seniors -- Novak, Chris Grimm and Joe Chapman -- of their career.

Novak connected on 7-of-11 shooting and 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Five of his six treys came in the second half. Five additional Golden Eagles added double figure points including freshmen Wesley Matthews (18) and Jerel McNeal (13), and sophomores Ousmane Barro (13) and Dan Fitzgerald (11). Barro's 13 points were also a career high for the sophomore guard.

Together Marquette shot 51.7 percent for the game including a season high 67.9 percent in the second half making all but nine of its attempts (19-of-28) in the second stanza.

The Friars were led by Randall Hanke with 23 points and 15 rebounds and had three others in double digits but shot just 34.2 percent for the game on 26-of-76 shooting from the floor. The Friars also won the battle of the boards grabbing 49, including 25 in the second half and forced 19 Marquette turnovers leading to 21 of their points off Golden Eagle miscues.

Matthews led all scorers in the first connecting on all four of his attempts from the field and two of three free throws good enough enough for 12 points. Collectively, Marquette shot 37.5 percent in the first half. The Golden Eagles also held the rebounding average 24-21, with a balanced effort including Barro and senior Joe Chapman each grabbing four.

Providence was 8-of-29 from the field in the first led by Hanke who tallied nine points and six boards. Geoff McDermott added six points and nine rebounds in the first half.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to an early 9-2 lead while holding Providence to gather its only points from the charity stripe. Marquette pushed its lead to 13, after a 10-0 run highlighted by back-to-back dunks by Matthews and Barro.

Fitzgerald closed out the scoring for Marquette with a three pointer from the corner leaving Marquette to lead by nine points, 37-28.

Matthews added his second alley-oop dunk of the day early in the second half to put Marquette ahead 10 points, 39-29.

The Friars rallied back to come as close as five points, 42-37, with 15:20 remaining in the game. Novak, McNeal and James halted Providence's run scoring 10 points in under three minutes giving the Golden Eagles a 14-point lead.

Marquette took its biggest lead of the game 20 (86-66) with two minutes remaining with the help of three treys Fitzgerald and Novak. Providence made a late rally but never came closer than 10 points.