WBB Set for Battle of the Birds on Thursday

MILWAUKEE – Coming off back-to-back wins to open up the New Year, the Marquette women’s basketball team closes out its first of two two-game homestands during BIG EAST play this season, hosting Creighton on Thursday night. The Golden Eagles will then get its first of two byes during the conference schedule.

Thursday’s game will air on truTV with Cindy Brunson (pxp) Christy Winters-Scott (analyst) and Chelsea Sherrod (sideline) on the call. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT at the Al McGuire Center.

THE STARTING FIVE

• Marquette is coming off its biggest win of the season, a 16-point defeat of Villanova which entered the game at 12-2 overall and 5-0 in BIG EAST play and was inside the Top 30 of the NET. The Golden Eagles shot 61.1% (11-of-18) from 3 on the afternoon. It was the second time this season that MU has shot over 60% from 3 in a game, a feat that has only happened six times in the past 15 years.
• Against Villanova, Marquette became the 13th team in the country, and first team in the BIG EAST, this season to have three players score at least 20 points in a single game (Halle Vice – 32, Skylar Forbes – 20, Jaidynn Mason – 20).
• Of those three Golden Eagles to score at least 20, Halle Vice had a career-high 32 points, scoring the most points by a MU player since Selena Lott scored 34 on Jan. 10, 2020. The performance punctuated a staggering week for the junior as she averaged 21.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game while posting three consecutive double-doubles. She was subsequently named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Jan. 5.
• In what was viewed as a weakness in Cara Consuegra‘s first year, the 3-ball has become a strength for the Golden Eagles in Year 2 following an offseason commitment from her team. MU sits second in the country at 40.4%, a 9.7% increase from last year. Five of the team’s eight players who have attempted 10 or more this season are shooting above a 40% clip.
• Marquette’s strength this season comes in its experience and continuity as the program is the only one in Division I women’s college basketball to return all of its players from the 2024-25 season.

BY THE NUMBERS
15.0 – During the past two games, Marquette has outrebounded its opponents by an average of 15.0. MU is 9-0 this season when outrebounding its opponent.
87.0 – During the past two seasons, Marquette is 20-3 (87.0%) under Cara Consuegra at the Al McGuire Center.
61.8 – Since being held to 3-of-10 shooting at UConn on Dec. 17, Halle Vice is shooting 61.8% from the field, 80.0% from 3, while posting four straight double-doubles. Vice is averaging 21.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game in the last four.

FLASHING BACK – GAME 15 VS VILLANOVA

• Marquette moved to 21-18 against Villanova, earning its first win against the Wildcats in the last three.
• The 16-point win was Marquette’s largest over Villanova since a 95-77 win on Jan. 27, 2021.
• Marquette scored 85 points, its sixth game this season scoring at least 80.
• Marquette made 11 3-pointers, its sixth game this season with double-digit 3-pointers made.
• The Golden Eagles shot 61.1% from deep (11-of-18). It was the third-highest percentage (min. 10 attempts) in a game for a Marquette in the last 15 years, and second highest this season.
• Marquette had three players score at least 20 points in the same game for the first time since Feb. 27, 2023.
• Halle Vice scored a career-high 32 points. It was the most points by a Marquette player since Selena Lott scored 34 on Jan. 10, 2020 versus St. John’s.
• Vice shot 8-of-8 in the first half (4-of-4 from 3), scoring 22 points.
• Vice finished the game 4-of-4 from 3. The four made 3-pointers passed her previous career high of three.
• Vice collected her fifth double-double in the last six games.
• Vice’s 20-point game was her fifth of the season while Skylar Forbes posted her fourth and Jaidynn Mason recorded her second.
• Mason matched her season high in assists with seven.

HISTORY WITH THE BLUE JAYS

• Marquette and Villanova will meet for the 34th time in their history.
• Creighton holds the series lead at 19-14.
• The Golden Eagles have just one win in the series during the last three seasons (1-4). That win came on Dec. 13, 2023 (76-70) at the Al McGuire Center.
• Creighton won the lone matchup between the two teams last year, a 71-68 contest on Jan. 8, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska.

20×3
On Jan. 4 against Villanova, Marquette had three players score at least 20 points in the same game for the first time since Feb. 27, 2023. Those players were Halle Vice (32), Skylar Forbes (20) and Jaidynn Mason (20). During MU’s last time it did that, it was Liza Karlen (26 points), Chloe Marotta (22) and Jordan King (20) in a 98-90 win over DePaul at home.

• MU was the 13th team this season to have three 20-point scorers in a game but the Golden Eagles were the first BIG EAST team to do it.

PROTECTING THE AL
Since Cara Consuegra took over last season, the Golden Eagles have been dominant at the Al McGuire Center. In 23 games on its home court, Marquette has lost just three times.

• This season, MU is 7-1 at home with six of those wins coming by double digits. Four of those wins have been by 25 or more.
• MU dropped its first home game of the season on Dec. 29 to St. John’s (73-66).

STRETCHING THE FLOOR
Year 1 under Cara Consuegra saw the Golden Eagles struggle from outside, shooting just 30.7% which ranked 194th in the nation. During the offseason, changing that was a point of emphasis. Through nine games, Marquette is shooting 40.4%, an 9.7% increase, which ranks second in the NCAA.

• Five Golden Eagles are shooting north of 40%. Jaidynn Mason is at 50.0% (9-of-18), Bridget Utberg is at 45.5% (5-of-11), Olivia Porter is at 42.3% (11-of-26), Halle Vice is at 40.7% (11-of-27) and Skylar Forbes is at 40.5% (30-of-74).
• The increased efficiency from beyond the arc has also resulted in more 3-pointers per game as MU is averaging 8.6 per game (33rd in the NCAA), an increase of 3.4 from last season.
• Through 15 games, Marquette has six games with double-digit made 3-pointers. In four of the previous five years, MU had just one or fewer such games. Like this season, the 2023-24 season saw six such games.

VICE’S BIG WEEK
On Jan. 5, Halle Vice was named BIG EAST Player of the Week. The junior averaged 21.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game across three games.

• Vice began the week with 13 points and 10 rebounds against St. John’s. Three days later, put up 20 points and 19 rebounds at Xavier at New Year’s Day. Three days after that she closed her week with 32 points and 11 rebounds against Villanova.
• With her 20 and 19 game at Xavier, Vice became the first Golden Eagle to record at least 20 points and 19 rebounds in the last 15 years. She also became just the third player in the country in the last two seasons to post at least 20 points, 19 rebounds and five assists in a game.
• Vice’s 19 rebounds were the most by a Golden Eagle since Frannie Hottinger grabbed 21 against Appalachian State on Dec. 17, 2023.
• Vice’s 32 points against Villanova was a career high and was the most scored by a player in the BIG EAST this season. It was the most points by a MU player since Selena Lott scored 34 on Jan. 10, 2020 versus St. John’s.

A WALKING DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Recording her sixth double-double of the season on Jan. 4, Halle Vice leads the BIG EAST in the category, and is two clear of second. The junior had just one double-double through the first five weeks of the season but has recorded five in the last six games.

• The four straight games with a double-double is the longest stretch of consecutive double-doubles by a Golden Eagle since Erika Davenport had a double-double in five straight games in 2019 (Jan. 11-25).
• Vice’s six double-doubles ranks 21st in the NCAA.

VICE GRIP
Marquette’s top rebounder a season ago, preseason All-BIG EAST selection Halle Vice has showed no let up on the glass this year, leading the team 12 times. The junior’s 9.2 rebounds per game currently leads the BIG EAST.

• Vice has had double-digit rebounding numbers seven times this season.
• Vice’s career-high 19 rebounds at Xavier were the second-most by a BIG EAST player this season.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.