Mascot Spotlight: Marquette's Golden Eagle

As I previously wrote, Marquette's Golden Eagle mascot is named Iggy. Although Marquette had a long history of various mascots, Iggy the Golden Eagle seems to be the best one. I wonder why it took so long to officially name him, but better late than never and I do love the name.

Marquette was one of the first institutions to change their nickname to be politically correct. That term sometimes has bad connotations in itself. Politically correct isn't a bad thing. I admit, sometimes I do think political correctness goes too far. In this case, with Willie Wampum as a previous mascot, Marquette did the right thing.

Is it more enjoyable to have a stereotypical Native Indian as a mascot, instead of a big golden eagle? Isn't the point of a mascot to engage people and to get all together? On a more basic level, isn't a mascot's job to have fun with fans? It's not about what the mascot is, but what it does.

Clinging to history for history's sake is silly. We didn't have television years ago. Does that mean we shouldn't watch games on tv because we never did?

I don't know where to draw the best line though. Political correctness can get out of hand with the cancel culture. In this case, Marquette made the change years ago and nobody misses the offensive mascot of years ago.

Go to GoMarquette.com for more info on the Golden Eagles. Check back here for recurring fun with mascots.

Marquette Golden Eagle and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Spotlight: Providence's Friar Dom

Providence University's Friar Dom has been called the creepiest mascot. I think that's an unfair opinion. Even if it is accurate, is that a bad thing?

Friar Dom debuted in 2002, replacing the live Dalmation mascot. Dalmations are called "the watchdogs of the Lord." The Friar Dom mascot has been tweaked over the years, each one seemingly slightly ghastlier.

I repeat, what's wrong with that? With the possible exception of kittle kids, this Friar Dom mascot isn't going to make anyone cry, but an intimidating mascot isn't a bad thing. Must all mascots be lovable lumps of fur with goofy faces (not that there's anything wrong with that)? I applaud Providence for creating Friar Dom this way, even if it might be unintentional/ Serendipity can be a beautiful thing, even if it relates to a ghoulish mascot.

Go to Friars.com for more info on Providence sports. Check back here for more mascot fun.

Providence Friar Dom and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Spotlight: Georgetown's Bulldog

In 1962, Georgetown's class of 1964 brought the first Jack the Bulldog to campus. The bulldog ranks eighth among the 125 most famous dogs in pop culture, according to the American Kennel Club. Legend has it the first Jack was originally called Hoya, but he wasn't responding well to it, seemingly preferring Jack. Thus Jack became the official mascot.

Jack actually has his own crew, who are responsible for walking him. During walks, the crew interacts with other students to make Jack more comfortable around students and to reduce his stress. I am usually not in favor of using live animals for such endeavors, but it seems Georgetown does a lot to make Jack's life pleasurable.

As for the costumed jack, I know he has a lot of fun. I have seen him plent y of times at Big East Women's Basketball games.

On a related note, I love the Bulldog nickname. It's classic. It screams old school.

Georgetown's team name is actually the Hoyas. That derives from the Hoya Saxa chant. Hoya comes from the ancient Greek language, where Saxa comes from Latin. Together they basically mean "what rocks!" I don't know how these two languages came together to produce that chant though.

Go to GUHoyas.com for more information on Georgetown sports. Check back here for recurring fun with mascots.

Georgetown and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Week: St. John's Johnny Thunderbird

Mascot Week celebrates the lovable costumed creatures.

St. John's University has an interesting mascot history. According to the story, a group of students stole the original Redman mascot from the front of a cigar store. After Chief Blackjack first appeared and St. John's won 22-0, the mascot became official. The students later returned to the store to pay for the mascot.

In 1994, St. John's changed their name from Redmen to Red Storm. A fan vote in 2009 picked the Thunderbird to become the new mascot. Another fan vote resulted in Johnny being the Thunderbird's name. Johnny is a throwback to the Johnnies, the team's original name.

The picture below shows Johngy and Johnny. We're even color coordinated.

Go to RedStormSports.com for more info on the Red Storm or the Johnnies (whichever you prefer). Also, check back here for recurring fun with mascots, especially Mascot Week.

Johnny Thunderbird and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Week: Seton Hall's The Pirate

Mascot Week is a celebration of the furry, funny, fuzzy creatures I love so much.

I previously wrote about the Seton Hall mascot's name. It's The Prate. Not Peter Pirate or Paul the Pirate. It's just The Pirate. It's very generic.

Maybe I was a bit too critical of The Pirate. Maybe naming it The Pirate was a clever way to add mystery to the mascot.

Giving the mascot an alliterative name might have made it to friendly. The Pirate, however, could sound ominous or menacing. Maybe the goal was to make the mascot more intimidating.

If that was the case though, they misfired on the face. The face is friendly, happy even. While the eyepatch and the mustache might be staples of a true pirate, it still looks way to happy to strike fear into the hearts of anyone.

I think it's time to redo Seton Hall's mascot and I am offering my services. Seton Hall needs to pick a lane, friendly or fierce, and I will work with them on developing a whole new pirate mascot.

I am not just singling out Seton Hall. There are other mascots that need work. The Stanford Tree of Stanford, Delta State University's Fighting Okra and Xavier's Blue Blob are just some examples. I am offering my services to these and any other school with a bad mascot. I am available as a Mascot Consultant.

Go to SHUPirates.com for more info on Seton Hall athletics. Check back here for recurring mascot fun, especially Mascot Week.

Seton Hall Pirate and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Kate Polucha, the DePaul Blue Demons and the Big East Tourney

Tomorrow DePaul softball faces UConn in the first game of the BIG EAST tournament. DePaul finished the year 28-22 (16-8 in the BIG EAST). UConn finished in first, four games ahead of the Blue Demons.

While UConn presents a big challenge, it is one DePaul has faced and beaten in previous years. I have witnessed DePaul winning the BIG EAST tourney in Rosemont a few seasons ago.

One player the Demons need to continue her hot hitting is outfielder Kate Polucha. A grad student, Polucha batted .347 in 40 games (starting 39). She also had eight homers, 34 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

I have watched Polucha for her entire DePaul career. She is an underrated player, despite outstanding stats. Maybe because she does everything well without flash, she gets over looked? Followers of the Blue Demons know how valuable she is.

Polucha is going to have to bring her hottest bat to the tourney. UConn is a tough foe, but they are beatable, especially if Polucha and her mates put up some early runs.

I will be "On the Beat" covering the action in Rosemont. Find my coverage here, Global Traveler, Patch and Global Women's Sports Radio.

Go to DePaulBlueDemons.com for more info on Kate and the team. Also, check BigEast.com for more info on the BIG EAST Tournament.

Kate Polucha and me in Chicago, IL-April 2022.

On the Beat With the Big East Conference Tournament

Last season's BIG EAST Conference Tournament defending champion DePaul Blue Demons will not be four-peating. The Villanova Wildcats beat DePaul 78-72 in overtime.

DePaul started out strong, jumping to a 22-12 first quarter lead. The second and third quarters belonged to Villanova, as they outscored DePaul 43-23 to take a 55-45 lead going into the final quarter. DePaul wasn't done though, as they came back to tie the game with just seconds on the clock to send it to overtime. Unfortunately for the Blue Demons, they missed too many shots and Villanova was able to pull out a six point victory to advance in the tournament.

DePaul Coach Doug Bruno started the post-game presser by stating, “Villanova did a great job tonight. And Coach Dillon does a great job with the basketball team, and the Nova players really did a great job. Maddy Siegrist is a great basketball player, as is Brianna Herlihy and Sarah Mortensen. They really do have three very tough players to guard. We've not defended well down the stretch this season. We didn't defend well tonight.”

When I asked Coach Bruno about DePaul's season in the pandemic era, he responded, “I'm very proud of our players on the pandemic front. These players came back here August 2nd. They got on the floor August 7th. And we are really proud to be the only team in the Big East not to have to be

put on pause. And at the same time I don't say that as a badge of honor or meant in any condescending way toward our comrades in the Big East who have been put on pause. So I don't mean that at all. So, I am very proud of our players for our COVID discipline and putting themselves in position to not having been paused. And at the same time as long as a program that gets paused doesn't have players that are really, really sick, it's just a crazy year. So you deal with what – you deal with your situation, and we weren't put on pause and our players were really, really good about their COVID discipline once we got back to the season. So I'm really proud of them for being this COVID-disciplined as they were.”

Villanova Coach Denise Dillon spoke on beating the defending champs, “We're fired up to have pulled that win off. I thought our team, with the exception of the beginning, that first quarter, did everything we needed to give ourselves a chance to win and kept their heads even going into overtime. And there was just a calm presence. And a lot of that credit goes to this one here on my right, just keep leading the team with her play. But I commented to her, to Maddy, telling her it just felt she kept the team together and just remained poised from start to finish. So you get big wins like this when your leader is charging the force. So it's good stuff for the Cats.”

Siegrist followed by echoing those sentiments, “You know, DePaul's been such a force in the Big East. They have so much success with their program. So a win like that means a lot.”

For the game, DePaul shot 36.6% from the field, 30.4% from three point land and 76.5% from the free throw line. Villanova shot 44.4%, 37.9% and 68.8% in those categories. The main team stat categories were pretty close, with the exception of fast break points, which Villanova won 18-8. Points in the paint went to DePaul (30-28), as did points from the bench (11-8). The teams tied on points off of turnovers (12-12). Villanova also outscored DePaul on second chance points (12-9).

Madison Siegrist led Villanova with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Deja Church paced DePaul with 19 points, while Darrione Rogers grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the team.

As a reward for defeating DePaul, Villanova gets to face UConn tomorrow in a Semifinal game. Coming off a big 77-41 thrashing of St. John's, UConn is the favorite to take the game and the tournament, but by beating DePaul, who has won the last three BIG EAST Conference Tournaments, Villanova proved they are up for the challenge.

In the post-game presser, Coach Bruno discussed the game and the season, along with talking about the chances for DePaul making the NCAA tourney. Coach Bruno was his usual classy self in the presser. He ended his session thanking the press for covering women's sports.

Below is Coach Bruno's media session. For the rest of the sessions for all coaches, go to the BIG EAST YouTube channel.

Go to DePaulBlueDemons.com for more info on the team. Also check here, GlobalTravelerUSA.com, Patch.com and GlobalWomensSportsRadio.com for my coverage of the Blue Demons.

  

Mascot Week: DIBS of DePaul Blue Demons

This is Mascot Week.  All week. I am featuring some of my favorite fuzzy creatures.

DePaul's mascot causes me angst. Back during my days on campus, I think the mascot was named Barney.  At some point in the last few years, the mascot got a makeover.  The thought was to make him appear edgier, perhaps even fiercer.  The result was DIBS.
DIBS actually stands for Demon in a blue suit.  I'm not really sold on that acronym.  Doesn't stating that it is a blue suit take away from the mascotness of the whole thing?  I know, we all know it is someone in a suit, but why announce that?  Also, isn't that a bit clunky when explaining it to kids, who are probably the biggest fans of the mascot?
It just seems unnecessarily complicated in an attempt to be clever.  I give that part a giant fail.
I do like the look of DIBS though.  It is a darker blue than the previous mascot.  The face is less goofy, if there is such a comparative among mascots.
The questions becomes, does a bad name take away from a great mascot? Ultimately, I will always side with the mascot. I guess I can give DIBS a pass. I will take my own advice and simply enjoy the mascot for all his furry, goofiness.

Dibs and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Week: Blue Blob of Xavier

This is Mascot Week. All week I am featuring some fun mascot encounters.

Xavier's Blue Blob is one of the most interesting mascots. Originally created in 1985 as a kid-friendly alternative to D'Artagnan, the Blue Blob has been a source of fun and conversation ever since.

What is the Blue Blob? That's debatable and people have been debating it for 35 years. What is not up for question is that it is good for business. If you Google "weird mascot" or "odd mascot," the Blue Blob will definitely appear in the search results. I'd call that a success.

Also, with the Blue Blob and D'Artagnan, Xavier has two cool mascots and two mascots are always better than one!

I met the Blue Blob when the DePaul Blue Demons women's basketball team faced Xavier in the Big East Conference championship tourney. DePaul won, but so did I, because I met a lot of fun mascots.

Xavier Blue Blob and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Altia Anderson and the Marquette Golden Eagles

As previously seen several times here, DePaul beat Marquette in the Big East Women's Basketball Tournament. It was the last time I will see Marquette senior forward Altia Anderson play in person.

I first met Altia last year at Marquette Media Day. Entering her third year at Marquette, she would put up career highs in several categories. Unfortunately for Altia, Marquette lost to DePaul in the Big East last season.

Marquette and Altia came back strong this season. Altia once again set career highs in several categories. Unfortunately for Altia, Marquette once again lost to DePaul in the Big East championship game.

Three straight such losses has to be tough, but Altia and Marquette need not hang their heads. They played tough and should be proud of all they accomplished. Losses are always a disappointment, but viewing the bigger picture, all three seasons were successful for Marquette and Altia.

In her four seasons with the Golden Eagles, Altia averaged more than 25 games, proving her durability. She shot about 50%, while contributing with assists and rebounds. Most importantly, Altia has been a great leader.

It has been a pleasure covering Altia during her time with Marquette. I appreciate her time and I wish her luck in her future endeavors.

Go to BigEast.com for more info. Also check back here for recurring coverage.

Altia Anderson and me in Milwaukee, WI-November 2018

The Big East Champion DePaul Blue Demons Women's Basketball Team

Good things come in threes. For the third straight year, the Big East Women's Basketball Tournament was held at Wintrust Arena. For the third straight year, I watched from my courtside seat in press row. For the third straight year, DePaul faced Marquette in the championship game. For the third straight year, the DePaul Blue Demons are the Big East Tournament champs!

After a first round bye, DePaul beat Providence 97-59 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, DePaul escaped with an 83-80 win over Villanova. Similarly, Marquette defeated their two opponents after a first round bye. As expected, DePaul #1 and Marquette #2 once again met in the championship game.

Marquette started out strong, leading by one at the end of the first quarter. DePaul came roaring back though and led 45-33 at halftime, cruising to an 88-73 victory.

The big victory margin allowed coach Doug Bruno to empty his bench in the fourth quarter. The starters got their well-deserved round of applause as they exited and the reserves got to experience championship game time.

After the game, I joined the celebration on the court. Of course, I was shameless in my pursuit of selfies with the players.

It really has been a pleasure following and covering this team. They are elite athletes and even better people.

My other coverage is at DePaul Blue Demons Win Big East Women's Basketball Tournament on Patch.com and Big East Women's Basketball Tournament for Global Traveler.

I thank the Big East for their hospitality throughout the tournament. I thank the DePaul Blue Demons for their time and consideration all season. I am sad that their season ends here though, because of the health scare. It was a bittersweet ending.

Go to BigEast.com for more info. Also, check DePaulBlueDemons.com.

The 2019-2020 DePaul Blue Demons in Chicago, IL-March 2020.

Patricia Babcock McGraw

The Big East Women's Basketball Tournament starts this Friday, March 6 and runs through Monday, March 9 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. I will be "On the Beat" throughout the tourney. While I will be sitting in Media Row, Patricia Babcock-McGraw will at midcourt on at the broadcast table.

A native of Indiana, Patricia played basketball at Northwestern, while majoring in journalism at the Medill School of Journalism. She wanted to be a sportswriter an has more than achieved that dream.

Patricia is a writer for the Daily Herald, a color analyst and sideline reporter for the Chicago Sky, and a women's college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network. In 2017, she was inducted into the Indiana Sports Hall of Fame.

A double threat as a former player and a journalism major, Patricia's background and experience translates success. She does fantastic work on the women's basketball broadcasts. Although I am at a lot of games and do not hear her live broadcasts, I record them at home for later viewing.

It is exciting for me just to share a Media Room with Patricia and all of the other fine broadcasters and reporters. I am always just as excited to meet these folks as I am to meet the athletes. I got a late start in the media field and it is cool to be a part of the media group with these longtime professionals.

Go to BigEast.com for more info and scheduling of the tourney. Also check back here for my coverage.

Patricia Babcock McGraw and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Mascot Week: Friar Dom

Mascot Week continues as we feature Friar Dom of Providence College. Friar Dom comes with an interesting history.

The team name "Friars" dates back to 1929 and is a shortened form of the Dominican order, "the Blackfriars." The original mascot of Providence was a Dalmatian who first appeared at a football game in 1935. A few generations of Dalmatians followed. The death of Friar Boy IV in 1963, led to the creation of Friar Dom. In 1993, Friar Boy V was introduced as the newest Dalmatian.

In 2017, a Dalmatian mascot debuted as company for Friar Dom. The purpose was to have a mascot able to perform more athletic stunts throughout the games. A contest resulted in the Dalmatian mascot being named Huxley. Providence spokespeople made it clear that the new Dalmatian mascot would be in addition to Friar Dom and in no way would replace him.

Friar Dom has been called "ghoulish" and "haunting." He has even been described as scary. I like Friar Dom. It is interesting. Even in a world of larger-than-life caricatures, Friar Dom stands out.

I met Friar Dom during the Big East Conference Women's Basketball tournament last year. I failed to meet Huxley though. Unfortunately for Providence, despite both mascots, Providence lost to DePaul in the Quarterfinals.

and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Goodbye, Good Luck and Thank You Coach Carolyn Kieger

Last season was my first full season covering the Marquette University Women's Basketball team. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the game and the school. Right from Day One at Media Day, I was impressed with Head Coach Carolyn Kieger.

As a player, Coach Kieger was a four year starter on the Golden Eagles, a three year captain and is still the all-time assists leader for the team. She went on to become an assistant coach at the University of Miami, before returning to Marquette in 2014.

In her years at Marquette, Kieger compiled a record of 99-64. Making that record more impressive is her first season, the Golden Eagles were 9-22. She turned around the team and made them contenders in a few short seasons.

From Media Day through the season, Coach Kieger faced the press win or lose. She held her team accountable without ever laying blame. She made them tougher and stronger. Last season, they remained a powerhouse despite injuries to key players. She always had time for the press, whether in media sessions or informally around the arenas. She was a real joy to cover.

Unfortunately for Marquette, they lost to DePaul in the Big East Conference Tournament, then lost to Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Women's Tournament. It was a disappointing end to a tough, but exciting, season.

Shortly after the season ended, Kieger accepted the job as Head Coach at Penn State University. I congratulate Kieger and wish her well, but I will miss her at games. Still, I think it is great for the sport for former players to continue to succeed in the coaching field. While there are many ex-players coaching, there is always room for more. 

Goodbye, good luck and thank you to Coach Kieger. I don't cover Penn State, but I will be following her there/

Carolyn Kieger and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

DePaul Blue Demons Win Big East Women's Basketball Tournament

I spent much of last weekend at the Big East Women's Basketball tournament. You can find stats and recaps on BigEast.com. I'm here to write about the experience. I also wrote about the experience online for Global Traveler at Big East Women's Basketball Tournament and on the Patch at DePaul Wins Big East Women's Basketball Tournament.
I admit, I was never a big fan of women's collegiate sports. Actually, I was never a huge fan of any college sports.
The real start of my journey into women's collegiate basketball started with the Chicago Bandits. I started covering the Bandits and really enjoyed it. That led me to the Northwestern softball team and later the DePaul softball team. I also really enjoyed those softball games, although sometimes it was a bit chilly, being that the games are played in April and May.
Last season, I saw the Big East Women's Basketball tournament was being held in Chicago. I applied for a press credential and somewhat surprisingly I was approved. My first women's collegiate basketball game was the Big East tournament. You can't start much better than that.
This season, starting with Marquette's Media Day, I closely followed Marquette and DePaul. Whether in person or on tv, I watched more games than I can count.
The Big East tourney was once agin in Chicago and I was once again in press row. Every seat at Wintrust offers great views, but my courtside seat was especially good.
After a weekend full of great basketball, it all came down to DePaul versus Marquette for the championship. I was one of many who predicted they would meet in the final.
I gave the slight edge to the #1 seeded Marquette, but the win would mean more to #2 seed DePaul in terms of their seeding in the upcoming NCAA tourney.
A large and very vocal crowd filled Wintrust. The proximity to Milwaukee brought many Wisconsinites to Chicago, creating a somewhat divided crowd.
Both teams started strong, but Marquette looked just a bit better. I found myself flip-flopping all game. I loved both teams. Knowing the lady athletes a bit, I didn't want to see any of them leave without the win.
Marquette started to pull away in the 3rd quarter, but DePaul kept it close. Every time it seemed like Marquette was in command, DePaul came roaring back. I realized I was watching something special.
With 5 seconds left, DePaul hit a hot and made a free throw to give them a one point lead. Marquette had one final chance, but the shot missed.
DePaul won and the crowd rushed onto the floor. I joined the celebration, congratulating the winners. I also congratulated Marquette coach Caroln Kieger and her players, because they had a great season and a fantastic tournament. They just fell a bit short.
The emotions of the players ran deep. I saw the joy from the Blue Demons. I saw the despair from the Gold Eagles. I saw exhaustion from both teams. I'm sure in time, both teams will also show great pride in this game.
I thank Marquette's Megan O'Shea and DePaul's Bob Sakamoto for facilitating my coverage all season. I thank both universities for their hospitality.
Women's collegiate basketball isn't done yet though. Next up is the NCAA tournament. If it is anywhere near as good as the Big East tourney, we are in for some awesome action. I will once again be seated courtside and I will be reporting back here and for GT and Patch.com.

Checking In With the DePaul Women's Basketball Team

When I last saw the DePaul women's basketball team, they suffered a frustrating loss to Seton Hall. Having just seen Marquette easily beat this Seton Hall team, it didn't look good for DePaul.

In the post-game media session, DePaul coach Doug Bruno expressed frustration, but not resignation. He credited Seton Hall with a great effort and acknowledged Marquette as the team to beat in the Big East. Bruno went on to say that DePaul needed to find it within themselves to get back on track and in the Big East race.

Last Sunday, I saw DePaul dig very deep and show lots of heart, despite losing to Marquette at home. It was a very different Bruno in this post-game session. The frustration was replaced with excitement and pride. This is the team that won the Big East title last year. This is the team that could win it again this year.

My coverage also appears on the Patch at DePaul Women's Basketball Team Shows Heart in Loss. Today though, I want to talk about the heart I saw from DePaul.

While they lost to Marquette, they showed plenty of talent and guts. Every time Marquette seemed on the verge of putting away the game, DePaul came back, chipping away at the lead. DePaul actually tied the game with about 2 minutes left. In the end, Marquette was just a bit better and secured a 93-87 victory. 

Marquette coach Carolyn Kieger preceded Bruno in the post-game media session. She was quick to praise DePaul's effort. She knew that despite the win, her team faced a big challenge. Fortunately for the Golden Eagles, last year's Big East Player of the Year Allazia Blockton returned from an injury which saw her miss several games. The first place Golden Eagles just got a bit better.

Marquette (11-0) is still undefeated in 1st place in the Big East. DePaul (7-4) sits in 3rd place, .5 games behind 2nd place Butler. DePaul is in for a tough challenge in their quest to repeat as Big East champs, but Sunday's game certainly was encouraging.

Speaking of the Big East championship tournament, it will once again be held at Wintrust Arena March 9-12. I went to last season's Big East tournament as something interesting to cover. Of course, I got interesting stuff for stories, but I really loved the action. I decided to do more coverage this season. These young women are elite athletes and the action is basketball at its best. I am really looking forward to this year's Big East tournament.

You can get more info on the Big East tournament at Big East Championship Central. I'll be there "On the Beat" and reporting as always.

DePaul Women's Basketball Team in Chicago, IL-February 2019.

On The Beat With DePaul Women's Basketball

The second part of my weekend of Big East Women's basketball featured the DePaul Blue Demons. I wrote about the weekend at Big East Women's Basketball for Global Traveler. I wrote about my day at DePaul at Game Day With the DePaul Blue Demons Women's Basketball Team for Patch.com.

The Seton Hall Pirates beat the Blue Demons 84-73. DePaul got off to a good start, but were unable to keep it going. Seton Hall kept chipping away until they got the lead in the 2nd quarter and held onto the lead, despite some good DePaul rallies. The Blue Demons never gave up, but unfortunately were never able to regain their early game form.

Despite watching my alma mater lose, I really enjoyed the game, especially from my courtside seat view. In fact, I was practically at midcourt. It doesn't get much better than that.

This was my first time at Doug Bruno Court in McGrath-Phillips Arena in the Sullivan Athletic Center on the DePaul Lincoln Park campus. It's a beautiful building and is part of all of the improvements DePaul has undergone since my days there.

As I meandered around the Athletic Department, I saw the wall of DePaul basketball greats. Of course, I had to look for Barb Atsaves, sister of my longtime friend and business partner Louie. Back in the early 1980's Barb was lighting it up on the court. When she graduated, he name was all over the all-time leaderboards. Even now, despite a faster-paced game and a 3 point shot, Barb still holds some spots in the various Top Ten lists. It was cool to see Barb on the wall of legends.

Despite the loss, I have to give credit to Coach Bruno. As a seasoned veteran coach, Bruno has seen it all. He opted to do the post-game media session solo. I think it was about protecting his players, not that the press would have been too harsh. Still, Bruno was there to take all questions by himself.

Obviously frustrated with the game, Bruno quickly gave credit to Seton Hall for an excellent performance. DePaul had an off game, but Seton Hall's play affected DePaul's game. There is plenty of basketball to be played, but DePaul has to improve to join Marquette in the top tier of the Big East.

Coach Bruno made it clear that there was no magical formula. The players had to dig deep within to find answers. Although unsaid, it is gut check time for the players.

I have to applaud Bruno for his composure and professionalism. He could have put on a show, but he chose the quieter serious route, which I think is more effective, at least at this point in the season.

It was just a coincidence that I saw Marquette and DePaul host Seton Hall. I originally stated that it would be an interesting way to compare and contrast the teams. While Marquette certainly looked better against Seton Hall, I realize it is only one slice of the season. I give Marquette total credit for being the class of the Big East right now, but this loss doesn't put DePaul out of the picture. I totally expect both teams to do well the rest of the season and through the tourney. I wouldn't be surprised to see a championship game rematch either.

I thank DePaul University and Assistant Director of Athletics Communications Bob Sakamoto for the hospitality. I appreciate the time and consideration shown me and I plan on returning for more great women's basketball action.

Barb Atsaves and me in Chicago, IL-January 2019.

Back "On the Beat" at Marquette

Last Friday, I returned to Marquette for my first actual game at Al McGuire Center. Previously, I had been at Marquette for Media Day. That is where I met the team and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Bill Scholl.

A graduate of Notre Dame University, Scholl spent 23 years working there in various roles. He then worked for Ball State for 3 years, before joining Marquette in 2015.

On Media Day I thanked Scholl and Assistant Director of Communications Megan O'Shea for the opportunity to cover Marquette. It is a privilege and an honor and I appreciate it greatly.

On Friday, I watched from courtside as the Marquette Golden Eagles defeated the Steon Hall Pirates 96-60. The Golden Eagles got off to an 8-0 start and never looked back. The game was never really close, but it was still an exciting game. I wrote more about the day at Big East Women's Basketball for Global Traveler and Marquette Women's Basketball Is On A Mission for the Patch.

Marquette is currently 16-3, with a perfect 7-0 conference record. Although it is early in the season, they are separating themselves from the pack. Even more impressive, they are doing this without Allazia Blockton, last season's Big East Player of the Year, who has been sidelined for several games with an injury.

On Media Day, Coach Carolyn Kieger stressed the high expectations of this team. She stated that the seniors would have to lead the way and the reserves would need to start stepping up. Every player was expected to continue to improve.

Coach Kieger's statements are being fulfilled. In Blockton's absence, Natisha Hiedeman really stepped up and was named Big East Player of the Week for her efforts. Others have also helped fill the void. This is a team effort.

The is an exciting team. They are on a mission. Having lost to DePaul in the Big East championship game, Marquette came into the season with something to prove and they are proving it. Marquette (at least right now) is definitely the team to beat.

I continue to be so impressed with the athleticism of the players. These young women are elite athletes. I have seen them practice and in play. They are also mature and classy. I cannot speak highly enough of the players.

Aside from the actual game action, the day at Marquette was a lot of fun. It was Milwaukee Public School Day and young students were most of the capacity crowd of 3,700. They were energetic and loud all game.

The students' excitement was assisted by in-game host Stephaine Crosley. A Milwaukee-native and former collegiate player at Cleveland State, Stephaine is a Program Manager for SecureFutures, a non-profit, empowering teens through financial education. She has mentored hundreds of young girls along the way. She is an asset to the community and Marquette games.

Marquette is an easy 90 minute drive from Chicago. In addition to Marquette, Milwaukee has so much to offer. It is a great way to spend a day or a weekend. I definitely will be back this season.

Once again, I thank Marquette and Megan for the hospitality and access. Although I am a DePaul alum, I will have torn loyalties if DePaul meets Marquette in the Big East tournament again, but that will be a great problem to have. I look forward to more exciting action as the season unfolds.

Bill Scholl and me in Milwaukee, WI-November 2018.

On the Beat With the Marquette Golden Eagles

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of covering the Big East Conference Women's Basketball Tournament in Chicago. The title game featured the DePaul Blue Demons defeating the Marquette Golden Eagles. I was so impressed with those teams and the tourney in general. I decided then to expand my coverage of the Big East.

That expanded coverage started last Monday, when I attended Media Day at Marquette. Held at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, I joined many other media members in talking to the team and watching some of the practice.

Head Coach Carolyn Kieger opened the session by talking about high expectations for the team. She quickly added that "execution beats expectations." You can hear her opening statement in the video below.

I talked to Coach Kieger later, complimenting her on the team's play in the Bog East tourney. Of course, the ultimate outcome was not the desired one for the team, but with 2 consecutive title games, including winning the title the previous season, the Golden Eagles should be proud of their accomplishments.

She cautioned the team about resting on their laurels and I don't see that as a problem. This team is hungry and loaded with talent. With six returning seniors, including the 2018 Big East Player of the Year Allazia Blockton, this team has the experience (and the post-season experience, too) to have another run at the title.

Coach Kieger further impressed me when talking about the final season for the seniors. She talked about wanting them to leave their mark and to enjoy the journey. I am a big believer in soaking in the experience and took a moment to just absorb my surroundings.

I was actually standing on the court for Media Day with a major college basketball team. I was talking to a classy coach who is a former standout player during her days at Marquette. I was about to talk to some of the best athletes in the country.

Just a year ago, I couldn't name one of these women though. I am admittedly a newbie on the women's collegiate basketball scene, but my interest is ever-growing. Despite not garnering the coverage these women deserve, they do have a very loyal fanbase.

I thank Marquette University for their hospitality. I thank Assistant Director of Communications Megan O'Shea for facilitating all. I thank Coach Kieger and the team for their time and consideration.

I have several stories from Media Day which will appear here over the next few weeks. I will also have additional coverage as the season progresses.

You can read one of my recaps on the Patch at On the Beat at Marquette Women's Basketball Media Day. You can read my recap for Global Traveler at The Marquette Golden Eagles.

Check out Marquette Women's Basketball for more info on this team. Also, check out BigEast.com for more info on the conference. Of course, you can also check back here for my recurring coverage, including more stories from Media Day.