Special to BrewCityBall.com
Trailing 40-30 with just 15 minutes left, the Marquette Golden Eagles
“Davante knows how to play,” said a relieved but edgy Marquette Coach Buzz Williams. “He’s really good with the ball in his hands and he is the best passer on our team.”
DePaul (8-7, 0-2 in Big East) jumped Marquette in the early going, building leads of 11 on several occasions thanks to the hot shooting of forward Cleveland Melvin. Melvin’s 15 first half and 22 total points helped the Blue Demons control most of the game.
Trailing by 10 at the 15 minute mark, Marquette (9-6, 1-1) used two consecutive threes by Jake Thomas and a nifty pass from Jamil Wilson to Gardner to cap an 8-0 stretch that vaulted MU within two. That play sparked Gardner, as he went on an 8-0 run of his own en route to 21 total second half points. Gardner mentioned how sluggish he’s played since Christmas break (just 2 points at Creighton) and promised to be more focused from this point forward.
“We need all our guys to be consistent,” added Williams. “We can’t just put it all on Davante. The only way we can become consistent is working hard every day.”
Marquette continued to pound the paint- finally getting paint touches through Gardner and ended up shooting 31 free throws. DePaul got to the line just four times.
“I was a little miffed that we didn’t go to the line more,” said a puzzled DePaul Coach Oliver Purnell about the free throw disparity. “We were driving the ball hard. But that’s the way it is on the road in the Big East.”
Not able to contain Gardner, the Blue Demons started double and triple teaming him during the last four minutes. The senior big man calmly passed out of the post to Derrick Wilson who found Todd Mayo. Mayo drilled a three point shot to put Marquette ahead 53-47 with 3:57 left, a lead the Golden Eagles would hold.
Looking lost throughout most the non-conference season, Marquette finally found some sense of identity in the last 10 minutes against the Blue Demons. It was a style that’s been characterized by tough defense, out-working the opponent, and paint touches in the Buzz Williams tenure, but one that’s been missing in MU’s first six losses. MU’s win over DePaul was their first win over a major conference team this year. But for Marquette, the win was a return to what they do best- play hard.
“We can’t be questioned on how hard we play,” Williams said. “No one in our tenure has ever said- ‘man you guys don’t play hard.’ That’s all anybody says.”
Williams added, “When you are losing, you have to earn the right/deserve the right to win. And it doesn’t matter if you’re playing at home and it doesn’t matter who the opponent – you have to earn the right (to win).”
For Marquette, hard work earned them their first Big East win of the year.
The Golden Eagles head back on the road to an old Big East city, but a new Big East team, when they play Xavier this Thursday.
Game notes
*Marquette has won 19 straight at the BMO Harris Bradley center in Big East Conference action dating back to a 67-60 loss to Cincinnati on March 2, 2011
*Marquette is 69-44 all-time against DePaul and it's 114 contests are the third-most all-time against a single opponent. MU has only played Wisconsin (120) and Notre Dame (118) on more occasions
*The Golden Eagles have won 12 straight in Milwaukee against DePaul.
*Senior forward Davante Gardner became the 45th player in Marquette history to reach the 1000 point mark with his layup at the 17:03 mark of the second half. Today was his 110th career game at MU and he entered the contest with 990 points.
*Gardner scored a career-high 28 points, 21 of which came in the second-half.
*Marquette's 11-point deficit was its largest margin faced in a victory this season.
*The Golden Eagles return to action at 8pm CT on Thursday January 9 at Xavier in a contest televised on Fox Sports-1.