Feb. 18, 2006

Recap |  Box Score |  Quotes

• Marquette's 84-82 win over no. 9/9 Pittsburgh marks the third time this season the Golden Eagles have defeated a team ranked in the top-25. It is also the second win over a top-10 team this season.

• The two back-to-back wins over ranked opponents is just the third time since the 1999-2000 season where Marquette has beaten consecutive ranked teams in the regular season.

• The two point differential is the ties lowest decision this season regardless of the outcome.

• Steve Novak's 27 points marks the eighth time this season, 19th for his career that he has scored 20 or more points.

• The Golden Eagles led by three points at the half. This is the second consecutive game Marquette has led at the half and won the game. Marquette is 12-3 this season when leading at the half.

• With 27 points against Pitt, Steve Novak moves his career scoring to 1,471 tying Roney Eford for the 12th spot all time. Marquette is 6-0 in BIG EAST play when Novak scores 20 or more points.

• Since missing his first free throw in 68 attempts dating back to last season, Steve Novak has made 30 straight since. Novak was a perfect 6-of-6 tonight from the charity stripe.

• Dominic James' 16 points gives him his 12th straight game of 10 or more points, 24th for the season.

• The Golden Eagles shot a season best 65.4 percent from the field in the first half.

• Wesley Matthews led the bench in scoring for the fourth straight came since he came back from injury.

• Pitt shot 73.7 percent from the floor in the second half, the best an opponent has shot this season.

• Former great Maurice Lucas became the 11th Marquette player to have his number retired.

• The crowd of 19,007 is the largest crowd to witness a college basketball game in Wisconsin. Marquette topped its previous attendance of 18,874 set on January 20, against Notre Dame.