Gear Whore Alert! Marquette To Get First Crack At Air Jordan XX8 Shoes

Nike and Jordan Brand are allowing the four Jordan Brand schools - North Carolina, California, Georgetown, and Marquette - to wear the brand new Air Jordan XX8 before their nationwide release on Saturday. Marquette will actually be the fourth of the schools to get a chance to wear them due to scheduling, but hey, that's still fantastic. UNC, Cal, and Marquette are all wearing the camo blue version, while Georgetown will be wearing the black and electric green style.

Here's Nike's science talk for what went into the design of the shoes:

The AIR JORDAN XX8 – the most tested and lightest AIR JORDAN ever – has an industry-changing first: the Jordan Flight Plate, a Pebax® moderator plate that maximizes the responsiveness of the Nike Zoom units through compression and deflection for optimal performance by essentially unlocking the airbags in the forefoot and heel, unleashing the power of the Zoom bags.

Dynamic Fit technology is also featured in The AIR JORDAN XX8, which uses internal straps to wrap up from the midsole and integrate with the laces for lightweight support that moves with the foot providing additional lockdown support and comfort.

The AIR JORDAN XX8 also features a high-performance, stretch-synthetic shroud that provides a sleek exterior, while a molded external heel counter is made of carbon fiber for lightweight support. A multidirectional outsole pattern provides excellent traction and durability for the court. Schoeller mesh, a Swiss fabric used in premium motorcycling jackets, is used in the shroud that encompasses the AIR JORDAN XX8 to provide an extra layer of support, stability and style for the athlete.

If you want a better look at the design of the shoes, you can check out this announcement from Nike from back in December.

Marquette's going to be wearing blue camo shoes, but it's not likely that they bring the Carrier Classic uniforms back for Saturday's game against Pitt. They needed a special waiver to wear them against Colgate, so that's probably not going to happen again.

What do you think about the shoes? Let's hear your opinions in the comments below!