Marquette is Smart

If you're into the shootyhoops tournament, you already know: Marquette is still kicking around Washington, D.C., after a big win last night against Miami to advance to the regional final on Saturday to face fellow Big East shootyhoops member Syracuse. The Golden Eagles have quite a rich basketball tradition, winning the 1977 national championship under Al McGuire and, more recently, making the 2003 Final Four with Dwyane Wade tearing nets from rims. Marquette is decidedly a "basketball school" with a strong focus on the sport, but that hasn't stopped the university from doing its part to grow the game of lacrosse.

It seems so simple but that's the beauty in what Marquette pulled off today -- Understanding that the Golden Eagles were going to be playing an important men's lacrosse game in the same city as where all of its fans would be situated for shootyhoops concerns, Marquette took it upon themselves to both act as Georgetown's tickets sales department and as a transportation company to get Golden Eagles fans into the university's newest athletic offering:

Tickets to the game may be purchased by calling the Georgetown ticket office at 202-687-4692, online at WeAreGeorgetown.com, or in person at the the gates of the Multi-Sport Field on game day, one hour prior to the start of the game. There will be shuttles going to the stadium for MU basketball fans in Washington, D.C. for Thursday's men's basketball Sweet 16 game. RSVP is required.

How awesome is that? Georgetown gets a little extra ticket revenue, Marquette fans get to see their team in action, and the Golden Eagles' athetic department did all the heavy lifting on their own to provide shuttles to the game. College lacrosse needs more of that kind of thinking, and kudos to an athletic department functioning with a first-year program to make a great stride in growing the sport.

I guess that leads to the all important question: How did it all work out for the Golden Eagles? Well, my buddy Jason was in town with Marquette -- he directs the Golden Eagles' pep band -- and took advantage of the opportunity that the athletic department provided:

Good on you, Marquette. You win the day.

UPDATE: This is cool: