It was Dwyane Wade, who put Marquette back on the map two decades ago. In 2003, he led the Golden Eagles on a thrilling Final Four run, their first in 26 years. That moment didn’t just elevate the program—it set the foundation for years of NCAA tournament appearances. Now, with March Madness looming, Wade is back in the mix, rallying behind his alma mater as they push toward another title.

So, what’s the occasion? Wade returned to support the Golden Eagles in a crucial matchup against Providence. And he didn’t just show up—he made sure the energy was felt. Before tip-off, he fired up the squad with a message. “It’s always good being back here on campus, and I cannot wait to see everybody tonight. Let’s go!” Wade said.

And Marquette responded, locking in a big win and inching closer to the Big East Tournament title. After the game, Wade wasn’t done. He addressed the players, making sure they understood the moment.

“So, what I saw tonight is what I’m happy to talk about… What y’all played with tonight is y’all played with spirit,” Wade said. “And normally, teams take on the identity of someone on their team, someone’s spirit on their team. And it’s a lot of pressure sometimes, but it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Wade wants Marquette to embrace that opportunity. “And make sure that, you know, as y’all go down, and y’all get prepared for the Big East Conference Tournament, and y’all get prepared for the tournament, man, y’all don’t leave nothing. Don’t leave nothing in the tank,” he urged.

But Wade wasn’t alone in supporting the Golden Eagles. Former Marquette star Travis Diener also joined him courtside, cheering the team on. And Marquette didn’t disappoint them.

Dwyane Wade’s Alma Mater inches closer to title

Marquette made a statement with a dominant 82-52 win over Providence at Fiserv Forum. Ben Gold had a career night, dropping 17 points, while Kam Jones matched his total and dished out seven assists. Dwyane Wade’s alma mater was locked in from deep, draining a season-high 17 three-pointers, with Jones and Stevie Mitchell leading the way. With this win, No. 21 Marquette improved to 21-7 (12-5 Big East), bouncing back strong after a recent three-game skid.

And they didn’t just win—they controlled the game from start to finish. Marquette led by as many as 31 points, holding Providence to just 25.8% shooting in the second half. Gold’s breakout performance couldn’t have come at a better time, as he contributed more in this one game than in his previous seven combined.

On the other side, Jayden Pierre led Providence with 13 points, while Oswin Erhunmwunse made his presence felt with eight rebounds and three blocks.

For the Friars, it was another tough night. They’ve now lost six of their last seven, struggling to maintain consistency. Providence started strong with a 6-0 run and even held a brief 17-15 lead, but sloppy ball control—18 turnovers in total—proved costly. Shooting woes didn’t help either, as they hit just 33.9% from the floor compared to Marquette’s 44.3%.

Mitchell chipped in 14 points for the Golden Eagles, while Gold and David Joplin grabbed six rebounds each. Marquette also set a school record with 41 attempted threes.

Now, the focus shifts ahead. With momentum on their side, they’ll look to keep the energy high—and, of course, follow D-Wade’s advice: “leave nothing in the tank.”