Remember your place
The Marquette men's basketball team represents a Jesuit university when it takes the court. We're not sure that the encyclopedia of Jesuit values includes an entry on the merits of teasing an inferior opponent for 39 minutes before ripping out its heart in the final seconds.
Yes, when sophomore Jerel McNeal stole the ball and won Sunday's game at South Florida (11-11, 2-6 Big East) with a buzzer-beating layup, Marquette fans had every reason to breathe a sigh of relief and then wonder how the Bulls' players must have felt after the game.
This is South Florida, remember, the program without a winning season since 2002-'03. This team doesn't often lead ranked opponents with less than a minute to go.
Perhaps such a thought entered the head of USF guard Chris Howard before he turned the ball over to McNeal and the game to Marquette. South Florida remembered it was . wait for it . South Florida.
An oversimplification? Obviously. We are, ahem, journalists. That's what we do.
As for McNeal, well, big players make big plays, don't they?
Calm before the storm
In far less cruel fashion, the Marquette women's basketball team won 76-59 at Cincinnati (12-8, 3-5 Big East) Saturday. Sophomore Krystal Ellis had 17 points to lead the way, with seniors Christina Quaye and Danielle Kamm adding 15 and 13, respectively.
Although the Golden Eagles (19-2, 7-1) are cruising, they have yet to play any of the other four teams that round out the top of the conference. They will learn just how good they are in their next two games.
Tonight Marquette visits the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-6, 5-2), winners of seven of their last eight, and hosts Connecticut (18-2, 8-0) – yes, the almighty Huskies – Saturday night at the Al McGuire Center.
Tennis teams get first wins of season
Freshmen Mark Rutherford and Niko Boulieris won crucial singles matches that gave the men's tennis team a 4-3 victory over Illinois-Chicago Saturday. With Marquette trailing 3-2, Rutherford won 0-6, 6-4, 6-0 at the No. 3 spot, and Boulieris prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 at No. 5.
The women's team dropped a pair of close matches over the weekend before breaking through Sunday afternoon with a 6-1 win over Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Marquette lost by 4-3 margins to Louisville Friday and to Iowa Sunday morning.