No. 17 Marquette barely hangs on to beat St. John's 73-72 at Madison Square Garden
NEW YORK (AP) Tyler Kolek is almost automatic at the foul line.
Usually.
But when the reigning Big East player of the year clanked three straight free throws down the stretch, No. 17 Marquette had to hang on by the skin of its teeth Saturday.
Oso Ighodaro scored 17 points, Kolek had 15 points and 11 assists, and the Golden Eagles held off a furious St. John's rally for a 73-72 victory at Madison Square Garden.
“We certainly made some mistakes late, but guys just stayed connected and kept playing for each other,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said.
After trailing by 13 with six minutes left, the Red Storm forced a string of turnovers and took advantage of four missed free throws by Marquette to give themselves a chance for a stirring comeback win.
Kolek, a 94% free-throw shooter (46 for 49) entering the game, missed three in the final 2:05 and Marquette went the last 2:50 without scoring.
Daniss Jenkins, however, missed a foul shot that would have tied it for St. John's with 38.9 seconds remaining, and Chris Ledlum was off target on an open 3-pointer with 10 seconds to go.
Jenkins had one last opportunity to win it, but his 3 at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
“We had two great looks," St. John's coach Rick Pitino said. “Unfortunately, it didn't bounce our way."
Pitino was back on the sideline following a bout with COVID-19. The 71-year-old Hall of Famer missed Tuesday night’s blowout loss at Seton Hall, then returned to practice this week.
But the Red Storm were still minus Jordan Dingle, the team’s third-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game, because of illness. And three assistant coaches were unavailable: Ricky Johns, Van Macon and Taliek Brown.
David Joplin had 13 points and Stevie Mitchell scored 12 for the Golden Eagles (13-5, 4-3 Big East), who missed their first 11 attempts from 3-point range and trailed by 10 late in the first half. Ighodaro shot 8 for 10 and grabbed five rebounds.
“Shots haven't been falling for us, but we still trust our process on offense,” Ighodaro said.
RJ Luis Jr. scored a season-high 20 for the Red Storm (12-7, 4-4), who dropped their third straight game - two by one point against ranked opponents. Jenkins had 16 points and Ledlum added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
“I thought our guys showed amazing character down the stretch,” Pitino said. “I think we’re making strides."
Joplin drained Marquette's first 3 to begin the second half and hit another one to snap a 56-all tie with 10:27 remaining. That started a 10-0 run for the Golden Eagles, and another 3 by Joplin gave them their largest lead at 71-58 with 6:20 left.
Marquette shot 75% from the field after halftime, going 6 for 9 on 3s, and won despite finishing 3 for 9 at the foul line.
“The way our guys, like, came together and fought and battled to start the second half, that felt familiar,” Smart said. “That’s what we’ve done in the past on the road to go take games, and it’s not easy. And even then it comes down to the last second.”
BIG PICTURE
Marquette: Minus injured guards Chase Ross (separated shoulder) and Sean Jones (knee), the defending Big East champions are a little thin right now. Ranked as high as No. 3 in the AP Top 25 earlier this season, they're not playing their best basketball at this point. But they've managed to win their last two games after losing two straight and three of five. Jones is out for the season. Ross could return after this month.
St. John’s: In their first season under Pitino, the Red Storm are in position to chase an NCAA Tournament bid. But they need to start pulling out some of these tough games against top opponents - and now they'll be without graduate guard Nahiem Alleyne for a while. Alleyne, who won a national title at UConn last year, sprained his right ankle in the first half and is expected to miss significant time, Pitino said.
UP NEXT
Marquette: Will play Wednesday night at last-place DePaul, the second game in a stretch featuring four of five on the road.
St. John’s: Will host Villanova on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, looking to sweep the regular-season series.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Oso Ighodaro vs. Joel Soriano (Oso Ighodaro gains possession) | |||
19:41 | Daniss Jenkins turnover (lost ball) (Stevie Mitchell steals) | |||
19:29 | Oso Ighodaro misses two point layup | |||
19:27 | Brady Dunlap defensive rebound | |||
19:17 | Brady Dunlap misses two point jump shot | |||
19:15 | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
19:01 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 2-0 | |
18:40 | RJ Luis Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Kam Jones steals) | |||
18:30 | Kam Jones misses two point layup | |||
18:28 | Joel Soriano defensive rebound | |||
18:19 | +2 | RJ Luis Jr. makes two point layup (Daniss Jenkins assists) | 2-2 | |
18:01 | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup (Oso Ighodaro assists) | 4-2 | |
18:01 | Chris Ledlum shooting foul (Stevie Mitchell draws the foul) | |||
18:01 | Stevie Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
18:01 | Joel Soriano defensive rebound | |||
17:39 | +3 | RJ Luis Jr. makes three point jump shot (Chris Ledlum assists) | 4-5 | |
17:30 | Chris Ledlum blocks David Joplin's two point layup | |||
17:28 | Brady Dunlap defensive rebound | |||
17:05 | Daniss Jenkins misses two point layup | |||
17:03 | Golden Eagles defensive rebound | |||
16:45 | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists) | 6-5 | |
16:27 | Daniss Jenkins turnover (bad pass) (Stevie Mitchell steals) | |||
16:23 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup (Tyler Kolek assists) | 8-5 | |
16:23 | Red Storm 30 second timeout | |||
16:23 | TV timeout | |||
16:11 | Chris Ledlum turnover (out of bounds) | |||
16:02 | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists) | 10-5 | |
15:38 | +3 | Chris Ledlum makes three point jump shot (Daniss Jenkins assists) | 10-8 | |
15:26 | Tyler Kolek misses three point jump shot | |||
15:24 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
15:16 | +2 | Daniss Jenkins makes two point jump shot | 10-10 | |
15:07 | +2 | David Joplin makes two point layup | 12-10 | |
14:39 | +2 | Joel Soriano makes two point layup (Chris Ledlum assists) | 12-12 | |
14:28 | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
14:26 | Oso Ighodaro offensive rebound | |||
14:21 | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
14:19 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
14:07 | Oso Ighodaro shooting foul (Joel Soriano draws the foul) | |||
14:07 | +1 | Joel Soriano makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-13 | |
14:07 | +1 | Joel Soriano makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 12-14 | |
13:54 | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | |||
13:52 | Brady Dunlap defensive rebound | |||
13:52 | Tre Norman personal foul | |||
13:42 | Daniss Jenkins turnover (bad pass) (David Joplin steals) | |||
13:35 | Tyler Kolek turnover (bad pass) | |||
13:25 | RJ Luis Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
13:23 | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
13:18 | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup | 14-14 | |
13:07 | Drissa Traore misses three point jump shot | |||
13:05 | Tyler Kolek defensive rebound | |||
12:58 | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | |||
12:56 | Joel Soriano defensive rebound | |||
12:48 | Tre Norman personal foul | |||
12:31 | Daniss Jenkins misses two point jump shot | |||
12:29 | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | |||
12:25 | Zuby Ejiofor misses two point layup | |||
12:23 | Zaide Lowery defensive rebound | |||
12:17 | Glenn Taylor Jr. personal foul | |||
12:02 | +2 | Tyler Kolek makes two point layup (Zaide Lowery assists) | 16-14 | |
11:47 | Chris Ledlum turnover (bad pass) (Ben Gold steals) | |||
11:33 | Zuby Ejiofor personal foul | |||
11:33 | TV timeout | |||
11:20 | Ben Gold misses three point jump shot | |||
11:18 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
10:53 | +3 | Daniss Jenkins makes three point jump shot (Brady Dunlap assists) | 16-17 | |
10:53 | Kam Jones shooting foul (Daniss Jenkins draws the foul) | |||
10:53 | +1 | Daniss Jenkins makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 16-18 | |
10:44 | Tyler Kolek misses three point jump shot | |||
10:42 | Oso Ighodaro offensive rebound | |||
10:37 | Tyler Kolek misses two point layup | |||
10:35 | Glenn Taylor Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:14 | Daniss Jenkins misses three point jump shot | |||
10:12 | Zaide Lowery defensive rebound | |||
10:03 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 18-18 | |
9:38 | Daniss Jenkins turnover (bad pass) (Ben Gold steals) | |||
9:21 | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point layup (Kam Jones assists) | 20-18 | |
9:06 | +2 | Brady Dunlap makes two point layup (Glenn Taylor Jr. assists) | 20-20 | |
8:52 | Zaide Lowery misses three point jump shot | |||
8:50 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | Glenn Taylor Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Zaide Lowery steals) | |||
8:27 | Ben Gold misses three point jump shot | |||
8:25 | Daniss Jenkins defensive rebound | |||
8:11 | Joel Soriano turnover (bad pass) | |||
7:57 | David Joplin turnover (bad pass) | |||
7:57 | TV timeout | |||
7:29 | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
7:27 | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | |||
7:27 | Kam Jones personal foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul) | |||
7:25 | Zuby Ejiofor turnover (bad pass) | |||
7:11 | +2 | Tyler Kolek makes two point layup | 22-20 | |
6:47 | Stevie Mitchell shooting foul (Chris Ledlum draws the foul) | |||
6:47 | Chris Ledlum misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:47 | +1 | Chris Ledlum makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-21 | |
6:33 | Stevie Mitchell misses two point jump shot | |||
6:31 | RJ Luis Jr. defensive rebound | |||
6:25 | +2 | RJ Luis Jr. makes two point layup | 22-23 | |
6:18 | Stevie Mitchell turnover (out of bounds) | |||
5:56 | Zuby Ejiofor misses two point layup | |||
5:54 | Simeon Wilcher offensive rebound | |||
5:46 | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point layup | |||
5:44 | Zuby Ejiofor offensive rebound | |||
5:43 | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point layup | 22-25 | |
5:43 | Ben Gold shooting foul (Zuby Ejiofor draws the foul) | |||
5:43 | +1 | Zuby Ejiofor makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 22-26 | |
5:32 | Simeon Wilcher personal foul | |||
5:30 | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
5:28 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
5:20 | RJ Luis Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
5:18 | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | |||
5:12 | Zuby Ejiofor blocks Tyler Kolek's two point layup | |||
5:10 | Simeon Wilcher defensive rebound | |||
5:02 | +2 | Chris Ledlum makes two point layup (Simeon Wilcher assists) | 22-28 | |
5:02 | Golden Eagles 30 second timeout | |||
4:49 | Kam Jones turnover (lost ball) (Chris Ledlum steals) | |||
4:43 | +2 | Zuby Ejiofor makes two point dunk | 22-30 | |
4:26 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 24-30 | |
3:54 | +2 | RJ Luis Jr. makes two point layup (Simeon Wilcher assists) | 24-32 | |
3:38 | Oso Ighodaro misses two point jump shot | |||
3:36 | Oso Ighodaro offensive rebound | |||
3:31 | Kam Jones turnover (traveling) | |||
3:31 | TV timeout | |||
3:11 | Glenn Taylor Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
3:09 | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | |||
2:52 | David Joplin misses two point layup | |||
2:50 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
2:37 | Brady Dunlap misses three point jump shot | |||
2:35 | David Joplin defensive rebound | |||
2:14 | David Joplin misses two point jump shot | |||
2:12 | Zuby Ejiofor defensive rebound | |||
1:56 | Zuby Ejiofor turnover (traveling) | |||
1:44 | Tyler Kolek misses two point layup | |||
1:42 | Chris Ledlum defensive rebound | |||
1:36 | Chris Ledlum misses two point layup | |||
1:34 | Chris Ledlum offensive rebound | |||
1:29 | Chris Ledlum misses two point layup | |||
1:29 | Chris Ledlum offensive rebound | |||
1:29 | Chris Ledlum misses two point layup | |||
1:27 | Chris Ledlum offensive rebound | |||
1:23 | +2 | Chris Ledlum makes two point layup | 24-34 | |
1:19 | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup | 26-34 | |
0:49 | Glenn Taylor Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
0:47 | Zaide Lowery defensive rebound | |||
0:36 | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup | 28-34 | |
0:02 | Chris Ledlum misses three point jump shot | |||
0:01 | Zaide Lowery defensive rebound | |||
0:01 | Stevie Mitchell misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | End of period |