Marquette’s Bumpy Start aspirations for a consecutive Big East regular-season title stumbled out of the gate in a challenging manner.
The No. 6 Golden Eagles faced a bitter defeat on Tuesday, enduring a cold shooting night as they fell 72-57 to the unranked Providence team in their conference opener.
From the onset, Providence took control, extending their lead from 23-21 to a commanding 40-29 by halftime. Despite Tyler Kolek’s effort to reduce the deficit to 40-36 with a three-pointer in the second half, Marquette failed to ignite a significant comeback.
The Friars retaliated swiftly, securing a 5-0 streak to stretch their lead to nine points. As Marquette struggled, Providence capitalized, reaching a 17-point lead multiple times throughout the second half, maintaining dominance until the end. The final 15-point gap marked Providence’s most substantial victory over a top-10 team since 2011.
Devin Carter led the charge for the Friars, amassing 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Davonte Gaines contributed 18 points, while Bryce Hopkins added 11 points and nine rebounds, punctuated by a crowd-rousing dunk following a remarkable pass from freshman guard Garwey Dual.
Kolek emerged as Marquette’s Bumpy Start performer, notching 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on a 7-of-15 shooting night. However, the team struggled collectively, with Kam Jones being the only other player to score double figures, posting 13 points on a 5-of-14 shooting performance. The Golden Eagles’ shooting woes reflected in their 32.1% field goal and 20% three-point shooting, a stark contrast to their season average of 48.9%.
In contrast, Providence exhibited a more efficient game, shooting 43.1% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc, while also dominating the rebounding battle with a 32-27 advantage.
The Friars’ victory propelled them to a 10-2 record, securing an early advantage in Big East play over Marquette, which now stands at 9-3 after previous losses to No. 2 Purdue and unranked Wisconsin.
Comments