Marquette–Wisconsin men's basketball rivalry

The Marquette–Wisconsin men's basketball rivalry is an intercollegiate basketball rivalry^[1] between the Marquette Golden Eagles and Wisconsin Badgers. The rivalry series is between the two major college athletics programs in the state of Wisconsin and is known as the I-94 Rivalry, given the 78 miles along the highway separating the two schools.^[2] The game was ranked the 16th-best among college basketball programs in 2013^[3] and 13th in 2020.^[4] The series is the second most-played for the Golden Eagles, only trailing its series with DePaul.^[5] In turn, Marquette is Wisconsin's most-played non-conference opponent.^[6] Marquette and Wisconsin have met 131 times and has been played annually since 1958. As of 2024, the series is led by Wisconsin, which holds a 71–60 advantage. Since the 1949–50 season, the total point differential has only been 34, signifying the relative competitiveness of the series.^[4] Both programs are in the top-50 for all-time Division I basketball victories.

Marquette–Wisconsin men's basketball rivalry

Marquette Golden Eagles Wisconsin Badgers
First meeting	December 19, 1917 Wisconsin 15, Marquette 14
Latest meeting	December 7, 2024 Marquette 88, Wisconsin 74
Statistics
Meetings total	131
All-time series	Wisconsin leads, 71–60
Largest victory	Marquette, 94–64 (1982)
Longest win streak	Marquette, 15 (1969–1978)
Current win streak	Marquette, 1 (2024–present)

50km
31miles

Wisconsin

Marquette

   

Locations of Marquette and Wisconsin

Series history

Under head coach Al McGuire, Marquette dominated the 1970s as the program became a national powerhouse, including a series-record 15 straight victories from 1969 to 1978 that inflamed tensions to their then-high.^[7] During the stretch, Marquette was ranked in the Top 12 for all but one year, while the Badgers entered unranked each season.^[4] One of the most memorable games occurred in 1974, as the Golden Eagles' Maurice Lucas hit a 20-foot jumpshot as time expired to lift Marquette to a 59–58 victory.^[8] In celebration, McGuire jumped onto the scorer's table and raised his fists as Badgers coach John Powless walks away dejectedly. The moment was captured in a famous photograph by Robert "Buck" Miller.^[8]

Wisconsin finally snapped the streak in 1978 after McGuire retired,^[4] flipping the narrative on the series after a 65 to 52 victory. Coming into the game, Marquette had won 25 of the last 40 matchups; since, the Badgers have compiled a 25–19 record.^[6] In the most recent meeting on December 7th, 2024, Marquette came back to blow out the Badgers with a final score of 88-74 with head coach Shaka Smart and star player Kam Jones scoring 32 points.

Rival accomplishments

The following summarizes the accomplishments of the two programs.^[9][10]

Team	Marquette Golden Eagles	Wisconsin Badgers
NCAA National Titles	1	1
NCAA Final Four Appearances	3	4
NCAA Tournament Appearances	33	26
NCAA Tournament Record	41–34	41–26
Conference Tournament Titles	1	3
Conference Championships	3	20
Consensus First Team All-Americans	4	21
Naismith Players of the Year	1	1
All-time Program Record	1651–1018	1638–1220
All-time Winning Percentage	.619	.573

Game results

Marquette victories

Wisconsin victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 December 19, 1917 Madison, WI Wisconsin 15–14 2 December 18, 1920 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 23–18 3 January 3, 1923 Madison, WI Marquette 9–8 4 December 19, 1923 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 27–7 5 December 18, 1925 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 42–26 6 December 22, 1926 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 29–26 7 February 11, 1930 Madison, WI Wisconsin 29–15 8 February 13, 1930 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 29–22 9 December 30, 1930 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 16–14 10 December 21, 1931 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 26–23 11 January 20, 1932 Madison, WI Wisconsin 18–16 12 December 17, 1932 Madison, WI Marquette 18–16 13 January 3, 1933 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 22–16 14 December 16, 1933 Madison, WI Wisconsin 32–30 15 January 2, 1934 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 28–26 16 December 15, 1934 Madison, WI Wisconsin 29–20 17 December 22, 1934 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 33–25 18 December 14, 1935 Madison, WI Wisconsin 35–22 19 December 21, 1935 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 46–21 20 December 12, 1936 Madison, WI Wisconsin 29–21 21 December 19, 1936 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 35–29 22 December 4, 1937 Madison, WI Marquette 32–21 23 December 18, 1937 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 38–32 24 December 5, 1938 Madison, WI Wisconsin 27–26 25 December 17, 1938 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 46–27 26 December 9, 1939 Madison, WI Wisconsin 46–39 27 December 16, 1939 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 41–28 28 December 7, 1940 Madison, WI Wisconsin 38–32 29 December 21, 1940 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 40–30 30 December 6, 1941 Madison, WI Wisconsin 35–34 31 December 20, 1941 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 36–25 32 December 5, 1942 Madison, WI Wisconsin 45–36 33 December 19, 1942 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 50–38 34 December 4, 1943 Madison, WI Marquette 51–43 35 December 18, 1943 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 40–37 36 December 9, 1944 Madison, WI Wisconsin 45–40 37 December 23, 1944 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 46–39 38 December 8, 1945 Madison, WI Wisconsin 42–32 39 December 22, 1945 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 62–41 40 December 7, 1946 Madison, WI Wisconsin 65–51 41 December 22, 1946 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 55–47 42 December 6, 1947 Madison, WI Wisconsin 57–50 43 December 31, 1947 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 67–60 44 December 4, 1948 Madison, WI Wisconsin 67–63OT No. Date Location Winner Score 45 December 31, 1948 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 60–34 46 December 3, 1949 Madison, WI Wisconsin 63–48 47 December 17, 1949 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 62–45 48 December 2, 1950 Madison, WI Wisconsin 49–42 49 December 16, 1950 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 61–58 50 December 1, 1951 Madison, WI Wisconsin 48–46 51 December 22, 1951 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 51–47 52 December 5, 1952 Madison, WI Wisconsin 76–55 53 December 4, 1953 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 64–56 54 December 2, 1958 Madison, WI Marquette 76–47 55 December 19, 1959 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 84–66 56 December 10, 1960 Madison, WI Wisconsin 55–51 57 December 20, 1961 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 92–75 58 December 19, 1962 Madison, WI Wisconsin 76–58 59 December 29, 1962 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 70–56 60 January 28, 1964 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 72–68 61 December 19, 1964 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 62–61 62 January 13, 1965 Madison, WI Marquette 59–58 63 January 3, 1966 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 73–72 64 January 4, 1967 Madison, WI Marquette 66–60 65 December 16, 1967 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 77–65 66 January 11, 1968 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 71–56 67 December 28, 1968 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 59–56OT 68 January 28, 1969 Madison, WI Wisconsin 56–50 69 December 27, 1969 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 64–43 70 January 27, 1970 Milwaukee, WI #7 Marquette 60–51 71 December 30, 1970 Milwaukee, WI #3 Marquette 72–69 72 February 2, 1971 Madison, WI #1 Marquette 89–75 73 January 3, 1972 Milwaukee, WI #2 Marquette 72–60 74 December 30, 1972 Milwaukee, WI #3 Marquette 75–732OT 75 February 6, 1973 Madison, WI #7 Marquette 64–58 76 December 29, 1973 Milwaukee, WI #6 Marquette 49–48OT 77 February 5, 1974 Milwaukee, WI #6 Marquette 59–58 78 February 4, 1975 Madison, WI #11 Marquette 69–63 79 December 16, 1975 Milwaukee, WI #3 Marquette 78–54 80 December 30, 1975 Milwaukee, WI #6 Marquette 82–66 81 December 28, 1976 Milwaukee, WI #12 Marquette 64–57 82 February 21, 1977 Madison, WI #9 Marquette 73–58 83 February 14, 1978 Milwaukee, WI #2 Marquette 75–64 84 December 23, 1978 Madison, WI Wisconsin 65–52 85 December 15, 1979 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 57–56 86 March 10, 1981 Madison, WI Marquette 64–53 87 March 9, 1982 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 94–64 88 February 17, 1983 Madison, WI Marquette 68–62 No. Date Location Winner Score 89 February 16, 1984 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 74–59 90 November 30, 1985 Madison, WI Wisconsin 75–74 91 December 1, 1986 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 84–71 92 December 10, 1987 Madison, WI Wisconsin 66–55 93 December 3, 1988 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 70–55 94 February 22, 1989 Madison, WI Wisconsin 61–50 95 December 2, 1989 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 63–58OT 96 February 19, 1990 Madison, WI Wisconsin 82–65 97 December 4, 1990 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 69–58 98 January 4, 1992 Madison, WI Wisconsin 81–63 99 January 2, 1993 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 77–67 100 January 2, 1994 Madison, WI #17 Wisconsin 71–52 101 December 31, 1994 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 80–65 102 December 31, 1995 Madison, WI Wisconsin 55–46 103 December 31, 1996 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 59–52 104 November 14, 1997 Madison, WI Marquette 65–60 105 December 23, 1998 Milwaukee, WI #20 Wisconsin 61–45 106 December 23, 1999 Madison, WI Wisconsin 86–74 107 December 23, 2000 Madison, WI #16 Wisconsin 52–47 108 December 22, 2001 Madison, WI Wisconsin 86–73 109 December 14, 2002 Milwaukee, WI #16 Marquette 63–54 110 December 20, 2003 Madison, WI #22 Wisconsin 63–59 111 December 11, 2004 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 63–54 112 December 10, 2005 Madison, WI Wisconsin 77–63 113 December 9, 2006 Milwaukee, WI #11 Wisconsin 70–66 114 December 8, 2007 Madison, WI #11 Marquette 81–76 115 December 6, 2008 Milwaukee, WI #25 Marquette 61–58 116 December 12, 2009 Madison, WI #20 Wisconsin 72–63 117 December 11, 2010 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 69–64 118 December 3, 2011 Madison, WI #16 Marquette 61–54 119 December 8, 2012 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 60–50 120 December 7, 2013 Madison, WI #8 Wisconsin 70–64 121 December 6, 2014 Milwaukee, WI #2 Wisconsin 49–38 122 December 12, 2015 Madison, WI Marquette 57–55 123 December 10, 2016 Milwaukee, WI #17 Wisconsin 93–84 124 December 9, 2017 Madison, WI Marquette 82–63 125 December 8, 2018 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 74–69OT 126 November 17, 2019 Madison, WI Wisconsin 77–61 127 December 4, 2020 Milwaukee, WI Marquette 67–65 128 December 4, 2021 Madison, WI #23 Wisconsin 89–76 129 December 3, 2022 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin 80–77OT 130 December 2, 2023 Madison, WI Wisconsin 75–64 131 December 7, 2024 Milwaukee, WI #5 Marquette 88–74 Series: Wisconsin leads 71–60