
#MUBB Opens NCAA Championship Friday Vs. Western Kentucky
3/20/2024 7:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
TBS features 1 p.m. CT national television broadcast
The No. 8/8 Marquette University men's basketball team (25-9, 14-6 BIG EAST) opens play at the 2024 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship on Friday, March 22 when the squad faces Western Kentucky (22-11, 8-8 C-USA) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Â TBS features the national television broadcast, with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Stan Van Gundy (analyst) and Andy Katz (reporter) calling the action. Â The Golden Eagles earned a No. 2 seed for the second-straight year, the team's highest seed in program history.
Marquette Making 36th NCAA Appearance  Â
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Marquette is making its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament and is participating in in third-straight event for first time since 2012-13 (last of eight-straight trips). Â
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The program, which claimed the national title in 1977 under legendary head coach Al McGuire, also owns 16 trips to the Sweet Sixteen and has participated in the Final Four on three occasions (1974, 1977, 2003).
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Marquette has played in Indianapolis in the NCAA tournament on three occasions, most recently in the opening two rounds (vs. Holy Cross and Missouri) of the 2003 championship en route to a Final Four appearance in New Orleans.
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The Golden Eagles earned the No. 2 seed for the first time in school history in 2022-23 and defeated Vermont, 78-61, before falling to 10th-seeded Michigan State, 69-60, in Columbus, Ohio.
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Marquette and Western Kentucky have met on just one occasion all-time, but it did come in a similar circumstance.
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MU claimed a 79-60 win over the Hilltoppers in the opening round of the 1976 NCAA tournament on March, 13 in Dayton, Ohio. Â Marquette concluded the season with a 27-2 record, falling only in the fifth game of the campaign to Minnesota and to No. 1 Indiana, 65-56, in the regional final.
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Indiana went on to capture the national title that season, finishing with a perfect 32-0 overall record.Â
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Marquette assistant coach Neill Berry worked at WKU for three seasons (2005-08) under former MU assistant coach Darrin Horn, helping the Hilltoppers to the conference tournament title and a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2007-08.
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Marquette Making 36th NCAA Appearance  Â
  Â
Marquette is making its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament and is participating in in third-straight event for first time since 2012-13 (last of eight-straight trips). Â
  Â
The program, which claimed the national title in 1977 under legendary head coach Al McGuire, also owns 16 trips to the Sweet Sixteen and has participated in the Final Four on three occasions (1974, 1977, 2003).
  Â
Marquette has played in Indianapolis in the NCAA tournament on three occasions, most recently in the opening two rounds (vs. Holy Cross and Missouri) of the 2003 championship en route to a Final Four appearance in New Orleans.
  Â
The Golden Eagles earned the No. 2 seed for the first time in school history in 2022-23 and defeated Vermont, 78-61, before falling to 10th-seeded Michigan State, 69-60, in Columbus, Ohio.
- 1977 NCAA Champions (defeated North Carolina 67-59 in Atlanta in head  coach Al McGuire's last game)
- Program is making 36th NCAA appearance, tied for 10th highest total all-time (42-36 all-time record)
- 53rd postseason appearance (36 NCAA, 16 NIT, 1 National Catholic Championship; top-10 among all Division I programs)
- Three trips to the Final Four (1974, 1977, 2003)
- 16 trips to the Sweet 16 (most recently 2012-13 – Elite Eight)
- One of just 20 schools to have won both an NCAA and NIT title (1970)
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Marquette and Western Kentucky have met on just one occasion all-time, but it did come in a similar circumstance.
  Â
MU claimed a 79-60 win over the Hilltoppers in the opening round of the 1976 NCAA tournament on March, 13 in Dayton, Ohio. Â Marquette concluded the season with a 27-2 record, falling only in the fifth game of the campaign to Minnesota and to No. 1 Indiana, 65-56, in the regional final.
  Â
Indiana went on to capture the national title that season, finishing with a perfect 32-0 overall record.Â
  Â
Marquette assistant coach Neill Berry worked at WKU for three seasons (2005-08) under former MU assistant coach Darrin Horn, helping the Hilltoppers to the conference tournament title and a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2007-08.
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