When the Marquette women's basketball team takes on Syracuse tonight, it will look to end a season-long trend.
On Dec. 7 the Golden Eagles defeated Kansas at home, then lost at Wisconsin in their next game. Those two games sparked an incredible but unimpressive streak of eleven straight contests with alternating outcomes. The Golden Eagles have won and lost and won and lost, but a home contest against the Orange could be just what the doctor ordered.
While it is true Marquette has played better at home than on the road this season, the Golden Eagles will have an extra boost not even a raucous Al McGuire Center crowd can provide: a healthy Krystal Ellis.
"It's been a week, a long week, but I think today is my best day," Ellis said. "I'm almost one-hundred percent, and I'm ready to play tomorrow."
Ellis has been hampered with a knee injury and sat out Marquette's last game, a win at Georgetown.
Along with coming back from her injury, Ellis will be going after the school's all-time scoring record. She needs 25 points to break Abbie Willenborg's record of 1,818 career points.
"It's going to be nice. I can't do it without my teammates though because they pass me the ball, they set me up," Ellis said. "It's a big accomplishment, and I'm excited about it; I love to score."
Ellis' ascension to the top of the Marquette record books has been invaluable to Marquette's success as a program – a fact that is not lost on coach Terri Mitchell.
"I don't think she ever knew, or we ever knew, the impact she would have coming in, and we're looking forward to a strong ending to her career," Mitchell said.
For Ellis, that "strong ending" would lead to an NCAA tournament berth and a national championship. Getting the team's first back-to-back victories in over a month would be a major step in the right direction.
Syracuse comes to Marquette with a record of 13-6 (2-4 Big East). They are led by sophomore guard Erica Morrow, who averages 17.6 points per game. Morrow's scoring prowess will put the pressure on Marquette's guards to force the ball out of her hands.
Even if that happens, Syracuse can counter with the inside presence of Cheandra Jones and Nicole Michael. Jones averages 15.9 ppg and 8.3 rebounds per game, while Michael has contributed 13.3 ppg and 8.1 rpg this season.
This trio could present quite a challenge for the Golden Eagles, but Mitchell is quick to point out how her team has matured while Ellis has battled injuries.
"I think the team has learned to score without her, and I think they've learned that with her in the game it's a great benefit, because it opens up so many other people, because everyone's paying attention to her," Mitchell said.
So whether Krystal Ellis breaks the record tomorrow night or not, there is no doubt all eyes will be on her, and that has always been a good thing for Marquette.