March Madness: Power ranking the Sweet 16 teams left in 2024 NCAA Tournament

12. Marquette Golden Eagles

We had one big upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and that was Oakland defeating the Kentucky Wildcats in a 14 over 3 game. However, we were 20 minutes away from an even bigger one, as 15-seed Western Kentucky had a 7-point lead over Marquette at halftime.

Yet in the end, the Golden Eagles dominated the second half, outsourcing the Hilltoppers, 51-26. The final score was 87-69, led by 28 points from Kameron Jones. Former Big East Player of the Year guard Tyler Kolek had 18 points, six rebounds, and 11 assists in the win as well.

Marquette had another close call in the Round of 32 against Colorado, despite having an 11-point halftime lead. The Eagles’ offense struggled for a bit in the second half but thanks to some late baskets, pulled out the 81-77 win. Kolek had another star performance with 21 points and 11 assists, while Jones had 18. Chase Ross had a big game off the bench with 12 points and five rebounds.

Marquette lucked out a bit in the bracket, taking on the lone double-digit seed (NC State) left in the Big Dance. Still, they’ve struggled against the other double-digit seeds they’ve faced so far so maybe the Wolfpack will have a shot.