No. 7 Marquette narrowly avoided a shocking upset on Tuesday night, finding themselves trailing DePaul by four points with less than a minute remaining in regulation. The Golden Eagles, heavily favored in the matchup, managed to mount a comeback, sending the game into overtime and ultimately emerging victorious with an 85-83 win. While the outcome was positive, Marquette’s head coach Shaka Smart emphasized the need for improvement from his team as they gear up to face Xavier in a Big East clash on Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee.
Smart highlighted the importance of igniting their second unit, pointing out that no reserves contributed points in the close win over DePaul. David Joplin stepped up for Marquette, delivering a stellar performance with a career-high 30 points, including seven successful 3-pointers to secure the victory, extending their winning streak to six games.
Reflecting on the game, Smart stressed the significance of learning from the challenges faced against DePaul, urging the bench players to step up and contribute more in the upcoming games to avoid being scoreless from the reserves. Kam Jones, who provided 18 points and 11 assists in the previous game, struggled with his shooting accuracy, making only one of his ten attempts from beyond the arc. Despite his recent struggles, Smart commended Jones for his dedication and character, expressing confidence in his abilities to bounce back.
On the other side, Xavier’s top scorer this season, Ryan Conwell, broke out of a shooting slump with an impressive 34-point performance, sinking six of his ten 3-point shots in a recent victory over Villanova. Conwell credited his teammates and coaches for instilling confidence in him and emphasized his trust in hard work and faith in his abilities.
Xavier, led by coach Sean Miller, is riding a wave of confidence with back-to-back wins, setting the stage for a challenging stretch of games ahead, including multiple road contests and a home matchup against No. 14 UConn. Miller viewed the recent victories as a morale boost for his team, preparing them to face formidable opponents and aiming to showcase their best performance on the court.
Looking back at their earlier meeting on December 21, Marquette narrowly edged out Xavier with a 72-70 win, underscoring the competitiveness between the two teams. Despite his shooting struggles, Jones continues to lead Marquette offensively, averaging a team-high 19.6 points per game, while Conwell and Zach Freemantle spearhead Xavier’s scoring attack, averaging 17.1 and 16.9 points respectively.
Both teams are gearing up for a high-stakes rematch, with Marquette seeking to build on their recent success and Xavier aiming to continue their momentum in a crucial stretch of games. As the competition heats up in the Big East, the clash between the Musketeers and Golden Eagles promises to deliver another thrilling basketball encounter filled with intensity and determination.
