Notre Dame, Marquette square off in rubber match in Big East quarterfinals

Thursday, March 13, 2008
9:30 PM - Madison Square Garden

#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 Marquette

For the third time this season, Notre Dame and Marquette will lock horns, this time the right to go to the Big East semifinals hangs in the balance.

Each team protected the home court, with Marquette blasting Notre Dame in the first meeting, 92-66 on Jan. 12th, then the Irish exacted revenge on Feb. 9th, holding on for an 86-83 victory.

Marquette was able to ward off Seton Hall, 67-54 in the opening round on Wednesday night. Jerel McNeal led Marquette with 21 points, who won for the seventh time in their last nine. Marquette ended the game on a 10-0, holding Seton Hall center Brian Laing to 13 points below his season average. Laing finished with just six points on 3-of-10 shooting. The Golden Eagles roughed up the Pirates on the glass, collecting 25 offensive boards, 56 rebounds in all.

Notre Dame locked up the third seed in the Big East tournament by winning three straight and six of their last seven. The Irish are powered by Big East player of the year Luke Harangody, who averages 21.0 ppg and 10.3 rpg. In the two games against Marquette this season, Harangody is averaging 23.5 ppg and 12.5 rpg against the Golden Eagles. In contrast, Notre Dame has had trouble stopping Marquette offensively. Dominic James averaged 19.5 ppg versus the Irish, and Lazar Hayward averaged 17. As a team, Marquette averaged 87.5 ppg in the two meetings this year against the Irish.

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The winner advances to the Big East semifinals on Friday night.

by Frank Minniti
BigEast-fans.com Director of Content

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