Where is Marquette? Location, coach, record of NC State's Sweet 16 opponent in March Madness

After a full week of action in the 2024 NCAA Tournament eliminated 52 of the 68 teams in the field, one of March Madness’ more improbable entrants still remains.

Not even two weeks ago, NC State trailed at halftime of the first round of the ACC Tournament against a Louisville team that finished in last place in the conference standings and would go on to fire coach Kenny Payne fewer than 24 hours later. After defeating the Cardinals, NC State rattled off four wins across the next four days to earn an automatic NCAA Tournament berth despite entering the conference tournament with a 17-14 record and looming questions about coach Kevin Keatts’ job security.

Now, that same squad is just two wins away from a Final Four.

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The next step in that quest will continue Friday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, where the 11-seeded Wolfpack will face its stiffest challenge yet this tournament.

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Marquette, the 2-seed in the tournament’s south region, enters the matchup after wins against 15-seed Western Kentucky and 10-seed Colorado have gotten it two steps closer to its first Final Four in two decades.

Before the Wolfpack and Golden Eagles tip off Friday in Texas, here’s everything you need to know about Marquette:

Where is Marquette?

Marquette is a private Jesuit research university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The school was founded in 1881 as Marquette College, named after 17^th-century missionary and explorer Father Jacques Marquette. At the time of its establishment, it was an all-male institution, but began admitting women in 1909, making it the first co-educational Catholic university.

Notable Marquette alumni from outside the world of sports include comedian/actor Chris Farley and former U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Who is the Marquette basketball coach?

The Golden Eagles are led by coach Shaka Smart, who’s in the third season at the school.

Smart’s perhaps still most famous for leading 11-seed VCU to the Final Four in 2011. That season, the Rams were in the inaugural First Four before knocking off, in order, Southern Cal, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas before losing to Butler in the national semifinals.

Smart left VCU four years later to become the coach at Texas, where he went 109-86 with three NCAA Tournament appearances across six seasons. After going 19-8 and winning the Big 12 Tournament championship before being upset by Abilene Christian in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Smart, a Wisconsin native, left for Marquette.

He has experienced a career rebirth with the Golden Eagles, leading them to a 75-29 record in his time there.

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Marquette basketball record

Following Sunday’s 81-77 victory against Colorado, Marquette is 27-9 this season. That mark includes a 14-6 mark in Big East play, which placed them in a tie for second with Creighton in the conference standings.

The Golden Eagles have been ranked in the top 10 for much of the season. In the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of the regular season, Marquette was No. 8.

Marquette basketball history

Marquette’s on-court success is hardly limited to this season.

The Golden Eagles have made 32 of the past 56 NCAA Tournaments. They were a national power under former coach Al McGuire, finishing the season ranked in the top 10 nine times over a 10-season stretch from 1970-79. The run was highlighted by a national championship in 1977, which came in one of the program’s two Final Four appearances that decade.

It has remained a relevant, nationally competitive program over the past quarter century, which included a Final Four in 2003 led by a junior named Dwyane Wade.

Along with Wade, Marquette has produced a number of other future NBA standouts, a group that includes Jimmy Butler, Maurice Lucas and Doc Rivers.