Dunk Champion: Dominic James
Three-Point Shootout Champion: Steve Novak
Guests: U2 Zoo

The Marquette men's basketball team got its season underway on Friday night at the Al McGuire Center with its annual Marquette Madness festivities. The event started earlier than in previous years thanks to a change in NCAA rules allowing teams to hold events beginning at 7 p.m. on the first Friday of practice instead of midnight on the first Saturday morning of practice.

A line of students and fans waited for the doors to open. When the clock struck 7 p.m, the first of the 3,486 fans to pack the Al McGuire Center rushed for the best seats in the house.

The event began with U2Zoo, a Milwaukee-based U2 tribute band playing for the crowd. After some “celebrity appearances” from the likes of Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson, Tiger Woods, P-Diddy, and several others, the energetic crowd welcomed the 2005-06 Marquette women's basketball team and head coach Terri Mitchell kept the crowd pumped with promises of great things in the Al McGuire Center in 2005-06.

Then it was the men's turn to show off. After team introductions, a rendition of “Happy Birthday” to 19-year-old Wesley Matthews and a brief warm-up session, several members of the team competed in the slam dunk competition, with Dominic James, Matthews and Dwight Burke advancing to the finals.

Before the finals took place, Steve Novak cruised to a title in the three-point shooting contest barely missing a shot, beating Joe Chapman for the title.

James and Matthews tied in the finals for the slam dunk crown and went to a dunk-off. In the end, it was the 360s and the windmill jams that won it for James.

The crowd was treated to a scrimmage to finish the evening.

Three-Point Shootout Champion: Steve Novak
Guests: Michael Redd, John Mason