The Huskies, who reached as excessive as No. 2 within the rankings this season, had no subject getting previous Shaka Smart and Marquette on Tuesday night time. (David Butler II/USA Today)
Marquette’s rise might have reached its restrict.
No. 21 UConn completely destroyed the Golden Eagles 87-72 on Tuesday night time on the XL Center in Hartford. The loss snapped a five-game win streak for No. 10 Marquette, which got here amid a formidable run and climb up the nationwide rankings.
The Huskies by no means trailed within the first half on Tuesday night time, and at one level constructed up a 20-point lead. They closed out the opening interval on a wild Nahiem Alleyne half-court shot, too, to take a 17-point lead into the break after taking pictures 55% from the sector as a staff.
The Huskies stored going within the second half, too, utterly outplaying Marquette earlier than pushing their result in 25 factors close to the halfway level of the interval. From there, UConn merely held on to take the 15-point win.
Tristen Newton led UConn with a triple-double, ending with 12 factors, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Jordan Hawkins added 20 factors after taking pictures 5-of-8 from behind the arc. Adama Sanogo added 18 factors and 7 rebounds, and Alleyne completed with 13 factors off the bench. UConn shot 50% from the sector and higher than 52% from the 3-point line, and out-rebounded Marquette by 25.
Tyler Kolek led Marquette with 17 factors, and each Stevie Mitchell and Ben Gold completed with 12. They had been the one three to hit double figures for the Golden Eagles.
Marquette began out the season unranked, and with little actual expectations within the Big East. Yet after a wild 26-point blowout win over then-No. 6 Baylor in November, the Golden Eagles shortly entered the rankings and climbed to first within the Big East standings.
Other than a pair of shut convention losses, and a three-point loss to Wisconsin, Marquette entered Tuesday night time having gained 13 of its final 16 video games. The Golden Eagles jumped to No. 10 within the newest AP Poll this week, too, in what was their highest rating in about 4 years.
In principle, they need to have not less than competed with UConn. The Huskies, who had been ranked as excessive as No. 2 earlier this season, have fallen exhausting in latest weeks after shedding to Xavier twice, Providence, and even Marquette final month in Milwaukee. That earlier matchup got here amid a stretch by which UConn misplaced six of eight video games.
The Huskies needed to rally late on Saturday to beat lowly Georgetown, which has only one convention win to its identify, too. They’ll tackle No. 23 Creighton subsequent on Saturday amid what ought to be a giant push within the ultimate a part of their schedule.
For Marquette, nevertheless, it’s a special story. If Tuesday’s stumble is nothing greater than a actuality examine for Shaka Smart’s group, there’s no cause they’ll’t rally to say a Big East title for the primary time in program historical past. If not, issues might get dangerous, and quick.
