Marquette guards combine for 43 points, help down Villanova
Marquette head coach Shaka Smart talks with guard Tyler Kolek (11) and guard Kam Jones (1) during the first half of their game against Butler Wednesday, January 10, 2024 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. credits: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Kam Jones scored 22 points and Tyler Kolek added 21 points and 11 assists as No. 17 Marquette scored an 87-74 victory over Villanova in a Big East matchup on Monday afternoon in Milwaukee.
Oso Ighodaro did a little bit of everything for the Golden Eagles, with 18 points on 10-of-12 shooting to power Marquette (12-5, 3-3 Big East) to a 60-18 advantage on points in the paint.
Mark Armstrong had 24 points and Eric Dixon added 14 for Villanova (11-6, 4-2 Big East), which made nine 3-pointers in a back-and-forth first half.
But Marquette opened the second half with a 7-0 run, pushing its lead to 50-40 on David Joplin's 3-pointer from left of the top of the key.
Dixon brought Villanova even at 57-all with 3-pointer with just over 10 minutes left. Marquette answered with 12 consecutive points. Kolek's two free throws, the first made by the Golden Eagles, made it 69-57 with 5:47 remaining.
Kolek hit his first 3-pointer after four misses to put Marquette up 77-68 with 2:27 left. Armstrong answered with a 3-pointer, but the Golden Eagles responded with a 10-point run to make it 87-71.
The Golden Eagles, who were 5 of 31 beyond the arc in a 69-62 home loss to Butler on Wednesday with Kolek going 0 for 7, hit 7 of 23 from deep against the Wildcats.
Freshman Zaide Lowery came off the bench for a pair of 3-pointers to fuel a 12-0 Marquette run. Kolek's jumper from the free-throw capped the spurt that put Marquette in front 39-33 with 3:50 left in the half.
Kolek kissed a left-handed runner off the glass just ahead of the buzzer to put the Golden Eagles up 43-40 at the half.
Villanova hit 9 of 18 3-pointers in the first half, while Marquette countered with a 34-8 advantage in the paint.
—Field Level Media
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