Sports
Marquette moves closer to top in AP men's top 25 college basketball … – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Marquette men’s basketball team keeps moving up in the national rankings, thanks to some help.
The Golden Eagles checked in at No. 4 in the Associated Press top 25 poll that was released on Monday.
(Editor’s note: Journal Sentinel beat writer Ben Steele had MU No. 3 in his weekly ballot.)
The Golden Eagles were ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, their highest spot since the 1977-78 season, and they scored a pair of easy victories at Fiserv Forum to open the season last week.
MU unveiled its Big East championship banners and then beat Northern Illinois, 92-70, on Monday. The Golden Eagles also routed Rider, 95-65, on Friday night.
Two teams that were ranked ahead of the Golden Eagles in the preseason lost last week. Duke fell to Arizona and dropped from No. 2 to No. 9, with Arizona jumping over MU from No. 12 to No. 3. Michigan State was upset by James Madison in the season opener and tumbled from No. 4 to No. 18.
The schedule is about to get much harder for MU, starting at No. 23 Illinois on Tuesday night in Champaign, Illinois.
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Again, it was the 1977-78 season. The then-Warriors were coming off a national championship and were ranked No. 3 in the preseason.
MU stayed in the top five for the entire regular season, reaching No. 1 in the poll that was released on Feb. 20, 1978. MU was upset by Miami (Ohio) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and was ranked No. 8 in the final poll.
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That could happen in two weeks.
All the Golden Eagles need to do is beat Illinois on Tuesday and then win three games in three days at a ridiculously loaded Maui Invitational, which has been relocated to Honolulu.
MU needs to beat UCLA in the first round of the Maui Invitational, then the Golden Eagles would likely get a shot at beating No. 1 Kansas, which opens the tournament against Chaminade.
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