Marquette's Steve Novak Earns Invite To USA Basketball National Team Trials

MILWAUKEE -- Marquette University's Steve Novak is one of 52 players selected to compete in the 2003 USA Basketball National Team Trials that eill be held May 30-June 1 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The selections were made by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee.

The 52 participants will compete for two USA Basketball Teams -- 2003 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Team and 2003 USA Pan American Games Team. The 6-foot-10 Novak is eligible for the Pan American Team.

Novak, named Conference USA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2002-03, came off the bench in all 33 games and averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in helping the Golden Eagles to an overall record of 27-6 including a league-leading 14-2 ledger. Novak paced the team and conference with a 50.5 percent effort from three-point range and his 55 treys were second most by ever by a Marquette freshman. Named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team, Novak scored in double figures on eight occasions and garnered a spot on the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team. In MU's five NCAA Tournament contests, he averaged 9.8 points and shot 56.0 percent (14-of-25) from beyond the arc.

The Pan American Games will be held August 1-17 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with the basketball competition slated for Aug. 2-6. The United States squad will be directed by Michigan State University Head Coach Tom Izzo.