Since Cara Consuegra became Marquette women’s basketball’s head coach in April 2024, she has introduced many terms and acronyms that have become program hallmarks. They are displayed on social media, at games and said by Consuegra herself.
Here are some key words and phrases that are in the glossary:
212 Degrees (noun)
Definition: Water is considered very hot at 211 degrees, but once it heats up one more degree to 212, it boils.
Quote: “[Boiling water] creates steam, which can move a freight train,” Consuegra said after beating Wisconsin 65-62 in overtime on Nov. 8. “And so we talk a lot about, what is that one degree? How can we bring that one degree to go from being really good to great?”
Built for This (phrase)
Definition: When the going gets tough, it is a pact to stay calm by trusting one’s preparation and process.
Quote: “So when we hit a wall where we’re not playing well in the second quarter against Bowling Green, and things were falling apart, ‘We’re built for this,’” Consuegra said. “We’re prepared for this, we know what it feels like to be in adversity and we’re ready to overcome.”
Fun Fact: The phrase exemplified the confidence Marquette needed to make its second-half surge against that Bowling Green team on Nov. 14 — turning a two-point lead at the break, into a 16-point win.
“Good!” (adjective)
Definition: Seeing adversity as a prime opportunity to learn from and apply its lessons to the next challenge.
Quote: “The context behind it is having the mentality that everything that happens to you is good,” Consuegra said. “Because you can take it, learn from it, reload, recalibrate, then go back out there and kick some a—.”
Fun Fact: Originating in the middle of Big East play, the mantra went full circle last season at the end of the team’s first round WBIT win over Drake, becoming a rallying cry on the sideline. This past August, as Consuegra gave a speech to her team, the saying was emblazoned in gold letters on her shirt.
Faithful to the Process
–@cconsuegra #WeAreMarquette | #playwithHEART pic.twitter.com/uCjlsfjxpb
— Marquette WBB (@MarquetteWBB) August 27, 2025
Hard on Self, Not Down on Self (phrase)
Definition: Balancing the learning that comes with growing as a person and player while also maintaining confidence in one’s ability.
Quote: “You’ve got to be hard on yourself, so you’ve got to be disappointed when we’re not executing at the level we’re supposed to, but we can never be down on ourselves,” Consuegra said after the Nov. 8 game against Wisconsin. “We have to always have confidence.”
Fun Fact: The phrase was written on the whiteboard in the team’s film room last season to serve as a reminder to help balance the fine line of evaluating critically.
H.E.A.R.T. (noun)
Definition: The team’s five pillars: heart, effort, accountability, respect and toughness. Stated in that order, they form the acronym ‘H.E.A.R.T.’
Fun Fact: When breaking down huddles, Consuegra leads by saying ‘play with,’ then players echo out ‘H.E.A.R.T.’ after each one, whether it be after a game or during a practice. H.E.A.R.T has been a staple of Consuegra’s coaching, as she built Charlotte’s program through those same five tenets before coming to MU.
Team Trip: Its values are so entrenched within the program, that a H.E.A.R.T. retreat/workshop is a summer mainstay.
To the Test: After Consuegra’s first road victory as Marquette’s head coach, against Rutgers in the Battle on the Banks over last year’s Thanksgiving weekend— in which they won the event, H.E.A.R.T. was a springboard for the team’s success.
Pound the stone and play with HEART https://t.co/2pH3Qy1Cd5
— Cara Consuegra (@cconsuegra) November 30, 2024
Leaders are Believers (phrase)
Definition: For one to rise to an occasion, first they must believe in themselves and their teammates.
Examples: Having confidence going up to the free throw line in a crucial spot, finding a teammate on a key inbounds pass.
Quote: “This group wants to be good, and now they’re starting to believe that they’re good, and when you put that all together, that makes us a dangerous team,” Consuegra said after defeating Illinois State, 78-57 on Dec. 8, 2024.
Winning Plays (noun)
Definition: The little things within a game that can teeter-totter the seesaw of momentum one way or another.
Examples: Deflections, rebounds, free throws.
Quote: “If we can make the winning plays and rebound, we can separate in this game, we just weren’t able to do it until that moment; that was the difference in the game,” Consuegra said after Marquette beat DePaul, 82-72 on Feb. 15, 2025.
Marquette women’s basketball has adopted some key terms to watch for this season. I’m at the Blue and Gold Scrimmage; follow along for live updates and a takeaway analysis article @MUWireSports #muwbb pic.twitter.com/AcxbKtl3Xl
— Mikey Severson (@MikeySeversonMU) October 3, 2025
As Marquette women’s basketball takes the court this season, keep your eyes and ears out for these mantras around the Al McGuire Center.
This article was written by Mikey Severson. He can be reached at michael.severson@marquette.edu or on Twitter/X @MikeySeversonMU.