What You Need To Know

• No. 10 Marquette beat Creighton No. 22, 72-67


• Stevie Mitchell returned after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury


• Sean Jones scored a career-high 15 points


• Marquette won its 20th straight Big East home game

Marquette came out flat in the first half, going over two minutes without scoring, and started the game 0-8 from beyond the arc. But a big second half, including 6-11 from deep, helps the Golden Eagles hold off the upset in Fiserv Forum. 

Creighton, on the other hand, came out firing, with help from senior guard Baylor Scheierman, who scored six of the Blue Jays first 10 points and started the 3-from-3 from deep. Within the first five minutes, Creighton was up, 14-3.

The Golden Eagles woke up after Scheireman’s third three-pointer, using a 5-0 run to cut the Blue Jays lead to six, but went right back to sleep after failing to score for the next three minutes. Creighton went on a four-minute scoring drought of its own, but got a few shots to fall to extend the lead to 10 with just under six minutes remaining in the first half.

Marquette and Creighton continued to trade baskets, until a dominant defensive effort by the Golden Eagles helped spark a 9-0 run to tie the game at 26. But, the offense ended there for both teams, as Creighton went into halftime, leading just 30-28. 

The Golden Eagles had no rhythm on the offensive end, hitting only 3-of-20 from beyond the arc, and 10-from-36 from the field in the first half. Creighton hit 5-of-14 from three, including four from Scheireman, who led the Blue Jays with 12 first half points. 

The halftime break bodes well for Marquette as the Golden Eagles were able to find a steady heart rate on the offensive end, hitting three of their first four shots to open the second half. Marquette took its first lead of the game, 42-41, with 12:46 remaining in regulation, thanks to a layup from senior guard Tyler Kolek. 

Sophomore guard Sean Jones also got going for Marquette, scoring back-to-back three pointers, sparking a 6-0 run of his own to help push the lead to four for the Golden Eagles, but Creighton kept it close, trading baskets with Marquette down the stretch.

Using a scoring drought by Creighton to its advantage, Marquette broke the game open to a seven-point lead and never looked back. Junior forward, David Joplin was able to get two late three-pointers and his first ever collegiate dunk, to put an exclamation point on Marquette’s win. 

Kolek iced the game with two free throws with two seconds to go, and the Golden Eagles pulled out the victory, 72-67. 

Defense leads to offense 

The Golden Eagles saw themselves down 11 early in the first half, but the dominating Shaka Smart Marquette defense was able to keep the Blue Jays from pulling away early. Marquette forced 12 first-half turnovers, leading to thirteen points off those turnovers to keep the game close. 

The Golden Eagles were dominant on the glass, out-rebounding the Blue Jays, 42-32, while only letting Creighton pick up four rebounds on the offensive end. Marquette secured 18 rebounds on offense, leading to a season-high 18 second chance points to help secure the victory. 

“The eighteen offensive rebounds, including nine from Oso (Ighodaro) was absolutely the difference in the game,” Head Coach Shaka Smart said. “When you’re not making shots, you have to have desperation on the defensive end and on the offensive glass. And that’s exactly why we were able to go into halftime only down two as opposed to being down double figures and that’s why we won the game.”

It was a tale of two halves for the Golden Eagles’ offense, as Marquette shot 15-of-32 in the final 20 minutes, including shooting over 50% from deep, to complete the come from behind win.

Sean Jones’ career day proves big for Marquette

The Golden Eagles were down by two halfway through the second half, when Jones delivered two huge three pointers to put the Golden Eagles on top by four. Jones scored 12 of his 15 points in the second half, including the two back-to-back three pointers to help lift the Golden Eagles over the Blue Jays.

“Honestly, it feels really good,” Jones said after the game. “The whole season really I’ve been struggling, but I’ve just stayed with the work that I’ve put in every day, and I’ve stayed with the belief that I can make them. And everybody in the organization just kept believing in me, and they’ve been pushing me to keep going with it every day, so just keeping the confidence that I can make them has really just been big for me.” 

His 15 points were a career best for Jones, while also tying his career best of three makes from deep. Jones ended the day shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep, while also adding two steals in the win.

Marquette wins in front of a record-breaking crowd

Marquette announced that the sellout crowd of 18,086 fans was a Fiserv Forum record for a Golden Eagles game. The rowdy atmosphere was a tremendous boost for the Golden Eagles throughout the entire game.

“First of all, just grateful for our fans. It was a phenomenal environment, and we are just so appreciative to get a chance to coach and play in this setting,” Smart said. “For the crowd to have that type of energy and passion and enthusiasm on December 30 when most of our students are at home, says a lot about Marquette nation.”

This win marks the 20th straight Big East home win for Marquette, tying the conference record with Pitt and Notre Dame. Marquette also reached this mark between 2012-14. 

Statistical leaders

Scheierman led all scorers with 23 points, including seven three pointers. He also added a team-high eight rebounds for Creighton. Junior guard Trey Alexander also added 18 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Blue Jays. 

Along with Jones, Tyler Kolek scored 15 points, while adding on four rebounds, eight assists and three steals for Marquette. Senior forward Oso Ighodaro grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end. 

Junior guard Stevie Mitchell also returned for Marquette after missing four games with a hamstring injury, scoring seven points and grabbing four rebounds for the Golden Eagles. 

“Stevie Mitchell is one-of-one as it relates to his energy,” Smart said. “He’s also one-of-one in terms of how he makes people feel. There’s a level of appreciation for that guy because of who he is and because of the fact that he pours everything he has into the game.”

Up Next

Marquette will have a week off and then will travel to New Jersey to take on the Seton Hall Pirates (8-5, 1-1 Big East) on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 11:00 a.m. CT.