The Carolina Curse very much alive for Marquette

Three wins in 28 chances. A winning percentage of .107. That is the dismal record of Marquette men's basketball when playing in the state of North Carolina. The curse has spared no one. Not Tom Crean, not Al McGuire, not Hank Raymonds, not Mike Deane, not Kevin O'Neill, not Bob Dukiet....nobody. In fact, McGuire only won one game in North Carolina. Tom Crean's clubs won the other two. Nobody else was able to scratch out a victory and every single MU coach has a losing record in that state.

The last win came in 2005 against East Carolina when a Steve Novak 3-pointer forced overtime. In the OT period, Travis Diener hit the game winner with under three seconds to play to give MU the 71-69 win. MU has only played in North Carolina one time since that game, a blowout loss to Michigan State in the NCAA tournament as guard Jerel McNeal looked on in a cast.

Tonight, MU is a 2 point favorite over the Wolfpack. Yours truly believes that NC State wins this game, but I'm happy to very wrong if it goes to Buzz and the boys. NC State is hungry, we have not played well on the road yet with tonight's game a true road test and not on a neutral court.


The Carolina Curse in all it's glory

Dec 14, 1964 loss at Wake Forest 62-95
Mar 23, 1974 win vs #6 Kansas 64-51 (NCAA Tournament in Greensboro)
Mar 25, 1975 loss vs #1 NC State 64-76 (NCAA Tournament in Greensboro)
Jan 28, 1979 loss at #7 Duke 64-69
Jan 31, 1981 loss at #6 Wake Forest 60-83
Feb 17, 1981 loss at Charlotte 58-61
Feb 6, 1983 loss at Wake Forest 65-78
Feb 15, 1987 loss at #3 North Carolina 74-83
Feb 4, 1989 loss at Wake Forest 67-70
Nov 14, 1990 loss at #6 Duke 74-87
Jan 21, 1991 loss at North Carolina State 76-89
Jan 25, 1996 loss at Charlotte 69-79
Feb 15, 1997 loss at Charlotte 46-66
Mar 14, 1997 loss to Providence 59-81 (NCAA Tournament in Charlotte, NC)
Jan 13, 1998 loss at Charlotte 53-66
Jan 21, 1999 loss at Charlotte 61-67
Jan 29, 2000 loss at Charlotte 54-60
Jan 13, 2001 loss at #9 North Carolina 54-84
Mar 3, 2001 loss at Charlotte 62-85
Dec 29, 2001 loss at #25 Wake Forest 59-64
Jan 5, 2002 loss at Charlotte 68-76
Feb 26, 2002 loss at East Carolina 46-51
Dec 30, 2002 loss at East Carolina 70-73
Jan 18, 2003 win at Charlotte 67-64
Jan 20, 2004 loss at Charlotte 76-84
Feb 13, 2005 win at East Carolina 71-69 (OT)
Mar 15, 2007 loss to Michigan State 61-49 (NCAA Tournament in Winston-Salem, NC)

Still searching for answers in the state of North Carolina. Tonight won't be easy.