Marquette Basketball: Lopsided loss to #1 UConn ends Big East winning streak

With selection Sunday a mere month away, Marquette finally ran into #1 UConn on the Big East schedule on Saturday. The journey for Marquette and UConn led them into the national spotlight in Hartford in the form of a top-5-ranked clash, but the excitement quickly swung the Huskies way, as Marquette could never get into any rhythm offensively and got exploited on defense time and time again. UConn was on the right side of every hustle stat that you can dig up and sent a clear message to Marquette, the conference, and the country with an 81-53 win. 

A fast-paced up-and-down-the-floor start didn’t exactly see hot shooting, but it did display the intensity and aggressiveness that you would hope for in a late-season Big East matchup. After an exhausting first eight minutes and the game tied 18-18, UConn began to dominate. The patented pick-and-roll from Kolek to Oso worked just once. One dunk is all that Dan Hurley’s Huskies needed to see before adjustments were made and the paint was taken away. The separation that UConn gained from their 24-8 run to end the first half began on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass. Marquette was clearly out of rhythm, struggling for open shots and turning the ball over–not something we’re used to seeing from their typically efficient offense. 

UConn dominated all facets of the game

UConn continued to pull away by downright dominating the stat lines within the game. Pick one. The Huskies were +18 in rebounds, +17 in second-chance points, +5 in steals, +8 in points off turnovers, and +15 in assists. Uconn shot 46% from the field to Marquette’s 37% and had an impressive 24 assists on 29 made shots. Marquette’s inability to do the things that they normally do turned into mistakes and poor possessions, something that Shaka Smart and his staff cherish. 

As expected, UConn big-man Donovan Clingan had a huge impact. Securing a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds), not only was the 7’2” sophomore a load on the glass, he shifted Marquette’s entire offensive attack all game when he was on the floor. The Golden Eagles have never looked so hesitant in the paint. Altering shots and even shot selection, the buck stopped with Clingan. Shots being forced to the outside didn't bode well for Marquette either, where they shot just 5-23 from beyond the arc. 

Marquette frustrated and out of rhythm

The success that UConn had on the defensive end carried over to the offensive end, where unlike Marquette, the Huskies found easy points in the paint. Controlling their offense through crisp and unselfish passing, UConn found themselves with open cuts to the basket with frequency. Wide open layups were not uncommon, and when you couple that with the inside dominance of Clingan around the rim, you get a recipe for scoring runs on failed stops. Frustrated on both ends of the floor, Marquette just couldn't put anything substantial together to cut into the lead and watched UConn run away with the game in front of their home crowd. 

After a hot stretch, Big East Player of the Year candidate Tyler Kolek cooled off to a tune of just 7 points on 11 shots while committing 4 turnovers. Oso Ighodaro finished with 14 points and just 4 rebounds, and the Marquette bench only provided 10 points. Marquette’s eight-game winning streak ends as they fall to 19-6 overall and 10-4 in the Big East. UConn solidifies its dominance in the conference, improving to 24-2 overall and 14-1 in the Big East, increasing their lead in the conference to 3 games. UConn will spend another week atop the polls, target securely on their back. The Golden Eagles will get another shot at the Huskies back in Milwaukee for their home finale on March 6th. 

Next up for Marquette is a home date with Depaul back in Milwaukee on Wednesday at 9pm ET.