Marquette Golden Eagles' all-time Sweet Sixteen history

This is Marquette’s 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. 

Since the tournament was restricted in 1985, the Golden Eagles have made it to the Sweet Sixteen six times.

Marquette won the national title in 1977, taking down the North Carolina Tar Heels.

This March, the Golden Eagles will face the NC State Wolfpack, whom Marquette lost to in the 1974 National Championship.

As the Golden Eagles prepare for their game against NC State, how has Marquette faired over its previous appearances in the Sweet Sixteen?

In Marquette’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Eagles made their way to the Elite Eight. On their journey, Marquette faced the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet Sixteen.

Marquette defeated Kentucky 79-71 to move on to the program’s first-ever Elite Eight. The Eagles would sadly lose to Iowa 81-86 in the next round.

Sweet Sixteen record: 1-0

Just four years later, the Eagles would return to the Sweet Sixteen in a matchup against the Michigan State Spartans.

Sadly, Marquette would lose to the Spartans in a 69-74 defeat. The Eagles then played in the Regional 3rd Place game where they lost 69-98 to Kentucky.

Sweet Sixteen record: 1-1

Once again facing the Kentucky Wildcats, Marquette lost in the Sweet Sixteen yet again. This time around, it was a blowout. The Wildcats completely obliterated the Eagles, winning 89-107.

For a slight improvement from 1959, Marquette went on to win the Regional 3rd Place game against East Tennesee State.

Sweet Sixteen record: 1-2

The next year, Marquette was looking for revenge. The Eagles defeated the Kentucky Wildcats 81-74 in the Sweet Sixteen to move on to the team’s second-ever Elite Eight. 

While the Eagles lost to Purdue in overtime the next round, they had once again moved on past the Sweet Sixteen.

Sweet Sixteen record: 2-2

In 1971, Ohio State defeated Marquette with a 1-point heartbreaker in the Sweet Sixteen.

In the Regional 3rd Place game, the Eagles defeated Kentucky again in a 91-74 trouncing.

Sweet Sixteen record: 2-3

The 1971 postseason started a trend of Marquette losing in the Sweet Sixteen. The following year, the Eagles lost to the Kentucky Wildcats 69-85.

Marquette then lost 72-77 to Minnesota in the Regional 3rd Place game.

Sweet Sixteen record: 2-4

In 1973, Marquette lost its third consecutive Sweet Sixteen game. In a 69-75 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, the Golden Eagles were heading back to the Regional 3rd Place game.

Sweet Sixteen record: 2-5

This was supposed to be the season for the Marquette Golden Eagles. They blew past Vanderbilt in a 69-61 win in the Sweet Sixteen.

Marquette then made its way to the National Championship where the team devastatingly lost to NC State.

Sweet Sixteen record: 3-5

Two seasons later, Marquette would return to the Sweet Sixteen where the Eagles would defeat Western Michigan 62-57.

Marquette then lost 56-65 to Indiana in the Elite Eight.

Sweet Sixteen record: 4-5

A win in the Round of 32 sent Marquette back to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond. This season, the Eagles would go on to win the national title after a 67-66 win over the Kansas Jayhawks in the Sweet Sixteen.

Sweet Sixteen record: 5-5

Marquette entered the 1979 NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed and had to face the second-seed DePaul Demons in the Sweet Sixteen.

In a highly defensive game, DePaul knocked out Marquette with a 62-56 defeat.

Sweet Sixteen record: 5-6

It would be 15 years before Marquette would return to the Sweet Sixteen again. In 1994, the Golden Eagles lost to the Duke Blue Devils 49-59 in the Sweet Sixteen after Marquette had defeated Southern Louisiana and Kentucky along the way.

Sweet Sixteen record: 5-7

Nine seasons later, Marquette was heading back to the Final Four. 

On the Eagles’ journey to the NCAA Tournament semifinals, they defeated the second-seed Pittsburgh Panthers 77-74 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Sweet Sixteen record: 6-7

In a surprising run to the Sweet Sixteen, 11th-seed Marquette defeated sixth-seed Xavier and second-seed Syracuse in the first two rounds.

The Eagles then lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 63-81 in the Sweet Sixteen.

Sweet Sixteen record: 6-8

A similar fate awaited the Golden Eagles in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. After defeating BYU in the First Round and Murray State in the Second Round, Marquette was defeated in the Sweet Sixteen by the Florida Gators.

Sweet Sixteen: 6-9

Most recently, Marquette marched past the Miami Canes in the 2013 Sweet Sixteen.

As the No. 3 seed of their region, the Golden Eagles took down Davidson and Butler before defeating Miami 71-61 for their program’s seventh Sweet Sixteen victory.

Marquette went on to lose 39-55 to Syracuse in the Elite Eight.

Sweet Sixteen record: 7-9