Marquette Golden Eagles
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – Michigan State used a stifling defensive effort for the second game in a row to defeat No. 2 seed Marquette, 69-60, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper led Marquette with 16 points and 4 rebounds, and Kam Jones chipped in with 14 points and 4 rebounds in the team’s losing effort.
Tyler Kolek, the Big East Player of the Year, struggled to read Michigan State’s defense, turning the ball over six times while only contributing seven points and five assists.
“Everything we experienced is an opportunity for growth,” Kolek said. “We’ve grown more than any team in the country. Going into next year we want to keep growing, keep building, then go from there,” Kolek told CBS after the game.
Michigan State led for nearly the entire first half after falling behind 2-0 to begin the game but never trailed again. At one point, the Spartans led by 12, but the Golden Eagles rallied before halftime to cut the deficit to five points. The Spartans led 33-28 at halftime.
With an 8-0 run to start the second half, Marquette quickly erased the deficit and took the lead. From there, it was a back-and-forth battle until the Spartans were able to pull away in the final minutes.
After winning the Big East regular season and conference tournament, Marquette established itself as a force to be reckoned with not only in the league but also nationally under Head Coach Shaka Smart. However, the loss marks Head Coach Shaka Smart’s seventh tournament loss in his last eight games.
Comments