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No. 16 Marquette faces Cincinnati for first time in two years

Feb 2, 2008 - 11:59 AM No. 16 Marquette (15-4) at Cincinnati (10-11) 12:00 pm EST

CINCINNATI (Ticker) - No. 16 Marquette and Cincinnati meet for only the second time as Big East members on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles (15-4, 5-3 Big East) and Bearcats did not face each other last season. Cincinnati, which leads the all-time series 24-15, won the lone game played since both teams moved from Conference USA.

Marquette has won its last two conference games, both at home. The Golden Eagles defeated South Florida, 62-54, on Tuesday despite a combined nine points from leading scorers Dominic James and Jerel McNeal.

James, a junior guard, leads Marquette in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Sophomore forward Lazar Hayward averages 13.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. McNeal, a junior guard, averages 13.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

The Bearcats (10-11, 5-4) snapped a two-game losing streak on Wednesday with a 62-39 victory at West Virginia, holding the Mountaineers to their worst shooting game in school history at 20 percent (10-of-50).

Sophomore guard Deonta Vaughn, who scored 18 points against the Mountaineers, is the only Cincinnati player averaging double figures at 17.5 points per game.