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This was Marquette’s best chance to reach their first Big East Championship game in school history. They had won only one Big East Regular Season title before this - and they got shocked by Notre Dame in the first round of the conference tournament. So if there was any time to win the chance to play on Saturday, now was the time.
These two schools had never met in the Big East Tournament in their entire history up until this point. UConn held a slim 8-7 advantage in their all-time series - with the Huskies had winning five of their last six against the Golden Eagles. This year, they split their regular season series as Marquette won in Milwaukee 82-76 followed by a UConn win in Hartford by a 87-72 scoreline.
Going into the game - each side knew who the other would be looking to for a big performance: the Golden Eagles would be turn to Rhode Island junior Tyler Kolek while the Huskies expected big things out of Maryland sophomore Jordan Hawkins.
Kolek had come into the Mecca of College Basketball on a ten game double-digit points streak and extended that with 19 more points in overtime on Thursday against St. John’s in overtime. Meanwhile Hawkins - whose name will surely be heard in the first round of this summer’s NBA Draft - put up 19 as well in a close game against rivals Providence.
Marquette held on as UConn's defense fell apart to reach the school's first Big East title game
Marquette started the scoring off after UConn’s Andre Jackson missed two free throws and forward Oso Ighodaro punctuated the mistake an emphatic dunk. The Golden Eagles came out with a tight man-to-man defense and a trap in the paint that rattled the Huskies at first, but was quickly resolved with a Hawkins 3-pointer to open the scoring for UConn.
Thanks to that lightning-fast defense, and efficient scoring, Marquette went up quick. The Huskies didn’t take the lead back until the 11:53 mark of the first half with a 3-pointer from Virginia Tech transfer Naheim Alleyne. Kolek responded two possessions later, breaking a dry spell of nearly three minutes.
At the media timeout at 7:10, it was a three point game at 24-21. To that point, both teams were shooting around 50 percent (UConn 50, Marquette 47.1) - however the Huskies had the distinct advantage beyond the arc, going 2-4 compared to the Golden Eagles’ 1-6.
Kam Jones must have ignored that, tying it up from deep just before six minutes remained in the half. UConn's transfer from the University of San Diego, guard Joey Calcaterra, responded in kind.
A controversial foul call moments later had UConn head coach Dan Hurley apoplectic, nearly stumbling to the ground in disbelief. He would stare up at the Garden’s video board, hands on his hips, looking bewildered.
As the second half got underway, the Golden Eagles scored 18 points in the first four minutes
As the clock wound down, freshman forward Alex Karaban hit a clutch baseline shot-clock-beating 3-pointer to tie the game at 38-38 before the half. At the half’s end, the Huskies had seen their shooting advantage diminish as Marquette started hitting their shots.
From the start of the second half, it was all Marquette. They put up 18 points within the first 3:15 to overwhelm Connecticut.
There were glimmers of hope for the Huskies. Karaban drained a three and the UConn side of the crowd got back into it. But still, the lead for Marquette remained. At 12:31 OMax Prosper hit two free throws to make it an eight point game. Back-and-forth we went.
A missed three-pointer by Alleyne was rebounded under the basket by Newton - who put it in for two points. Alleyne put up another bucket off a rebound and here we were at 11:22 and UConn had brought it back to within four.
Marquette called a timeout. Hurley ran out onto the floor, pumping the crowd up with authority. For the first time all night, that old chant reverberated around the arena: U-C-O-N-N, UConn, UConn, UConn.
Marquette's Tyler Kolek was a co-leader on the team with 17 points and six assists on the night
Coming out of that timeout, UConn freshman Donovan Clingan was fouled by Ighodaro - the Marquette man’s fourth of the night. He had to sit as the 7-foot-2 center cut the deficit to three.
And then it happened. Marquette hit a layup, but Calcaterra knocked down a clutch three. The game was tied at 60. Chaos gripped the Garden for the first time all night.
But what Huskies fans wouldn’t realize is that would be the final 3-pointer UConn would make all night. They attempted six more - Calcaterra tried four of those six - but they couldn’t hit a single one. To the Huskies credit, most of those were good looks. They just couldn’t fall.
David Joplin - who had sank multiple clutch shots and ended with 17 points off the bench - was sat after his fourth foul of the night. That forced Marquette coach Shaka Smart to go to his depth. Jones did his part, knocking down a three to go back up 63-60 with 7:54 to go. A foul at the other end saw two free throws from Clingan to make it a one-point game.
A minute went by before someone scored again when UConn made it 67-66. A Prosper three made it 70-66. Sanogo’s put back made it 70-68. Deafening noise filled the arena. A media timeout at 2:14 ruined the mood - but didn’t stop the energy.
David Joplin (23) put up 17 points off the bench, but got into foul trouble late in the game
Joey Calcaterra (3) made the last 3-pointer for UConn at the 9:25 mark of the second half
At 1:53, Andre Jackson fouled out. The Huskies’ utility man had been sparkless throughout the game - shooting 1-2 on the night. Ighodaro missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Calcaterra missed a three. We went under a minute. 70-68 Marquette. Kolek missed a shot. 48.8 seconds left when Hurley called timeout.
Calcaterra tried for a three. He missed. UConn hadn’t hit a 3-pointer since the
