Golden Eagle fans filled the seats with gold early for the highly anticipated matchup versus the Villanova Wildcats. Their annual “Gold Out” game is played in support of the American Cancer Society and former university president Dr. Michael R. Lovell. Marquette (17-3) bounced back after the upset by Xavier and looked to start another streak by defeating Seton Hall. Meanwhile, Nova (12-9) had been battling in the trenches, going back and forth all month with a conference record of 5-4. Villanova would still prove to be a tough matchup, considering they have won 27 of the previous 46 matchups between the schools.
Marquette took an early lead, mainly due to their shooting percentage(45% FG in 1st half). They worked the ball around effectively and consistently to keep the Villanova defenders on their heels and allow the edge in points in the paint for the entire first half. Jordan Longino kept the Wildcats in the running, leading his team in scoring in the first half and ending with a career-high of 27 points. Unfortunately, he seemed to be one of the only ones able to take care of the ball, leading Marquette to an early advantage from points off turnover. Rookie Royce Parham showcased his talents, leading the Golden Eagles in scoring in the first half from the bench.
The second half showcased more range from Marquette as their 3PA skyrocketed. Jhamir Brickus took this opportunity to capitalize and cut into the deficit with a small scoring run. Just as Nova seemed to be taking control of the game, David Joplin blocked a shot that transitioned to a three-pointer by Zaide Lowery, and the crowd erupted. These few key plays allowed Marquette to regain momentum completely.
Villanova continued to give their all and battle to the end, pushing both teams into foul trouble, but no matter what they did, they could not shoot their way out of the hole Marquettes’ 16 points off turnovers created. The Golden Eagles took the victory 87-74.
Knuckleball Prime Time Player of the Game
Next Up: Marquette travels to Butler (9-11) Tuesday, January 28th to continue their streak.
The Barn 