The No. 4 Marquette University men’s basketball team (19-5, 10-3 BIG EAST) continues BIG EAST Conference play at No. 1 UConn (23-2, 13-1 BIG EAST) on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. CT from the XL Center. FOX features the national television broadcast, with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Donny Marshall (analyst) calling the action. Following Saturday’s action, the Golden Eagles open a three-game homestand against DePaul on Feb. 21 at Fiserv Forum.
Short Series Has Plenty Of Highlights
Marquette has faced UConn on just 16 occasions all-time, but the limited series has already provided a number of memories.
The all-time series dates back to the program’s first year in the BIG EAST in 2005-06. MU hosted the Huskies at the Bradley Center on Jan. 3, 2006 in the team’s first home game as a member of the BIG EAST Conference. Steve Novak finished with 41 points and 16 rebounds and Jerel McNeal chipped in 19 points and 12 boards in a 94-79 Marquette victory over No. 2 UConn to hand the Huskies their first loss of the season.
Other series highlights include a game-winning shot by Jimmy Butler with three seconds left in a 70-68 win on the road on Jan. 30, 2010 and an overtime win by Marquette at home on Jan. 1, 2013 when Junior Cadougan forced the extra session on at 3-pointer as time expired in regulation.
The Golden Eagles claimed two of the three matchups in 2022-23, most recently edging UConn, 70-68, in the semifinals of the BIG EAST tourney en route to the program’s first-ever title (defeated Xavier, 65-51).
Golden Eagles Get Another Shot At No. 1
Marquette is 3-11 all-time against the nation’s top-ranked team, including a 73-59 win over No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 21 earlier this season at the Maui Invitational.
The Golden Eagles also defeated No. 1 Kentucky, 83-69, in the 2003 Elite Eight and Villanova, 74-72, at the Bradley Center in 2016-17.
Saturday’s matchup at top-ranked UConn is the team’s third top-five outing (vs. No. 2 Purdue on Nov. 22) of the campaign, marking just the sixth time in program history the squad has faced at least three top-five teams in one season.
MU played a program-high five top-five opponents in 1973-74.
Offense Clicking In Current Win Streak
Marquette’s current eight-game win streak, its longest since winning 10-straight last season, is largely the result of consistent efficiency at the offensive end.
In the last eight outings, the Golden Eagles are shooting 53.6 percent from the floor overall and 42.5 percent from long distance, with both being marks well above the team’s season-long efforts.
Guard Tyler Kolek leads five players averaging double figures during the recent run with 20.6 points and 9.4 assists per game and forward Oso Ighodaro is contributing 15.8 points and 8.5 boards per outing. Kolek’s distribution leadership has Marquette averaging 18.5 helpers per outing in the last eight games.
The Golden Eagles’ field goal percentage, which has been at least 50.0 percent from the floor in 7-of-8 outings, has improved significantly thanks to an average of 42.3 points per contest in the paint.
MU Looking To Continue Road Success
When Marquette travels to No. 1/1 UConn on Saturday, the game will conclude a run of 6-of-8 outings on the road for the Golden Eagles.
In the last five years, only Marquette and Providence have had such a stretch in league play and both were this season. The Friars wrapped up their road swing on Feb. 4.
Marquette, which has played just twice at Fiserv Forum in nearly a month, has claimed each of the five road games since Jan. 20.
Kolek Runs It Back With Another Rare Effort
One day after earning BIG EAST Player of the Week accolades for the second time (Dec. 11 and Feb. 12) this season, guard Tyler Kolek put together another award-worthy performance in the win at Butler Tuesday night.
Kolek finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action, shooting 10-of-21 from the floor. He is the fourth BIG EAST player (Shamorie Ponds, Bryce Cotton and Kemba Walker) in the last 25 years with four games of at least 25 points, five assists and five rebounds in a single season.
Kolek finished with 27 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds in the win over St. John’s, becoming just the third player in NCAA Division I in nearly 20 years to reach his totals in points, assists and rebounds in a non-overtime game. John Konchar (IPFW) finished with 29 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds on Feb. 14, 2019 against Denver and East Tennessee State’s Courtney Pigram chipped in 29 points, 18 assists and eight rebounds versus Mercer on Feb. 24, 2007.
In the last two games, Kolek averaged 27.0 points, 9.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3 percent (21-of-38) from the field overall and 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) from behind the 3-point line.
Kolek, who leads all of NCAA Division I in assists (635) since 2021-22 and is currently second in the nation (7.4 apg.) through games of Feb. 14, moved into sole possession of second place all-time at Marquette in the victory at Butler.
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