Marquette Golden Eagles NCAA Tournament History

The Marquette Golden Eagles, representing Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have a storied history in the NCAA Tournament. As a member of the Big East Conference since 2013, the Golden Eagles have consistently been a force in college basketball, earning 37 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Their journey includes a national championship in 1977, a runner-up finish in 1974, and a Final Four appearance in 2003.

Program Overview

Marquette University, founded nearly 150 years ago as Marquette College, became a university in 1907 after affiliating with a local medical school. The Golden Eagles compete in NCAA Division I, primarily in the Big East Conference. They were a founding member of the current Big East, after being one of the seven original Big East members that broke away to create a basketball-focused league. Before joining the original Big East in 2005, Marquette competed in Conference USA (1995-2005), the Great Midwest Conference (1991-1995), and the Horizon League (1988-1991); prior to that, they were an independent program from 1916 to 1988.

The Golden Eagles play their home games at Fiserv Forum, which they share with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. This move from the Bradley Center in 2018 marked a new era for the program, providing a state-of-the-art venue for their passionate fan base.

Men's Basketball: A Tradition of Excellence

The men's basketball team has a rich tradition, marked by consistent postseason appearances and memorable runs in the NCAA Tournament. With 37 appearances, they rank among the top programs in NCAA history for tournament berths.

Early Success and the Al McGuire Era

One of the most iconic periods in Marquette basketball history is the tenure of coach Al McGuire. McGuire, along with assistants Hank Raymonds and Rick Majerus, built a program known for its toughness and unique style. In his final season, 1977, McGuire led Marquette to its only NCAA basketball championship, defeating Dean Smith's North Carolina Tar Heels in the title game. The team, led by players like Alfred "Butch" Lee, Maurice "Bo" Ellis, and Jerome Whitehead, captured the hearts of fans with their improbable run. In the national semifinals, Whitehead made a last-second shot after receiving a full-court pass to beat UNC Charlotte.

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The Tom Crean Years and a Return to the Final Four

Tom Crean took over the program in 1999 and ushered in a new era of success. Crean stated that he had "unbelievable respect for the tradition and the name" of Marquette. During his nine years, Crean's teams earned five NCAA tournament bids, exceeding the previous four coaches over the 16 years prior to his arrival. The 2002-03 season was a high point, with the team reaching the Final Four for the first time since 1977. Led by Dwyane Wade, Robert Jackson, Steve Novak, and Travis Diener, the team upset top-ranked Kentucky in the Midwest Regional final. Wade recorded a triple-double in that game, becoming only the fourth player to achieve this feat in an NCAA Tournament game. Marquette then joined the Big East Conference after the 2004-2005 season.

The Buzz Williams Era

Following Crean's departure, Buzz Williams took the reins and continued the program's success. In 2011, Williams led the Golden Eagles back to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2003, with the team going 22-15. They received an at-large bid in the 2011 NCAA tournament, defeating Xavier and Syracuse before losing to North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen. Williams' 2012 team returned to the NCAA tournament after finishing second in the Big East regular season. As a No. 3 seed, they defeated BYU and Murray State to advance to their second straight Sweet Sixteen, where they lost to Florida. In 2013, after winning a share of the Big East regular season championship, the team received an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed. They earned come-from-behind victories over Davidson and Butler, before defeating Miami to earn a trip to Williams's first Elite Eight, where they lost to Syracuse.

Recent History and the Shaka Smart Era

Steve Wojciechowski took over the program, but after a few disappointing seasons, Shaka Smart took control of the program and added four key transfers to aid the team for the 2021-22 season: sophomores Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Tyler Kolek, along with graduate transfers Darryl Morsell and Kur Kuath. Marquette finished the season with a surprising 19-13 record, including an 11-8 record in the Big East, tying for 5th in the conference. The team was ranked as high as 18 before a late-season skid saw the team lose 5 of their last 9 regular season games. Marquette was projected to finish 9th in the Big East for the 2022-23 season, but surprised many with their best season in a decade. The team finished with a 29-7 record and won the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Titles, their first Big East Tournament win in program history. Marquette came into the 2023-24 season with lofty expectations, despite losing Olivier-Maxence Prosper to the NBA. The team never fell below 17th in the AP Poll and finished 3rd in the Big East, with a 27-9 record. In the 2024 Big East Tournament, Marquette beat Villanova in the quarterfinal and Providence in the semifinal before losing to UConn in the final.

Under current head coach Shaka Smart, the Golden Eagles are making their 37th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and a fourth straight. Marquette is led by All-Big East First Team selection Kam Jones, a semifinalist for national player of the year, who averages 19.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. David Joplin also received Big East all-conference honors, earning a spot on the third team, while Royce Parham was named to the all-freshman team. Stevie Mitchell, the conference’s Scholar Athlete of the Year, is also a finalist for the nation’s best defender.

NCAA Tournament Appearances and Results (Selected)

Here's a look at some of Marquette's NCAA Tournament appearances and results:

YEAR	SEED	RESULT
1974	-	Runner-up
1977	-	National Champion
1979	No. 3	Sweet 16
1980	No. 9	Round of 48
1982	No. 7	Second Round
1983	No. 9	Round of 48
1993	No. 12	First Round
1994	No. 6	Sweet 16
1996	No. 4	Second Round
1997	No. 7	First Round
2002	No. 5	First Round
2003	No. 3	Final Four
2006	No. 7	First Round
2007	No. 8	First Round
2008	No. 6	Second Round
2009	No. 6	Second Round
2010	No. 6	First Round
2011	No. 11	Sweet 16
2012	No. 3	Sweet 16
2013	No. 3	Elite Eight
2017	No. 10	First Round
2019	No. 5	First Round
2022	No. 9	First Round
2023	No. 2	Second Round
2024	No. 2	Sweet 16
2025	No. 7	First Round

Recent Tournament Performance (2014-Present)

YEAR	SEED	OVERALL RECORD	HOW FAR THEY WENT	WHO THEY BEAT	WHO THEY LOST TO
2017	10	0-1	First Round		No. 7 South Carolina
2019	5	0-1	First Round		No. 12 Murray State
2022	9	0-1	First Round		No. 8 North Carolina
2023	2	1-1	Second Round	No. 15 Vermont	No. 7 Michigan State
2024	2	2-1	Sweet 16	No. 15 Western Kentucky, No. 10 Colorado	No. 11 NC State
2025	7	0-1	First Round		No. 10 New Mexico

Other Sports at Marquette

While men's basketball is a flagship program, Marquette University also boasts successful teams in other sports. The women's basketball team, coached by Carolyn Kieger, has experienced success, including a WNIT championship in 2008. The cross-country and track teams have produced five Olympians, 13 NCAA champions, and 27 All-Americans. Marquette also fields men's and women's lacrosse teams, which compete in the Big East Conference. Marquette University sold 11 acres of land to Bear Development, which plans to co-develop a sports complex with Kacmarcik Enterprises named Iron District MKE. This complex will serve as the competition venue for men's and women's soccer as well as men's and women's lacrosse.

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