MILWAUKEE — Stevie Mitchell equaled his career-high by scoring 21 points as No. 10 Marquette triumphed over Villanova with a score of 87-74 on Friday evening.
Chase Ross contributed 18 points, while Kam Jones added 16, helping Marquette (17-3, 8-1 Big East) secure their eighth consecutive victory against Villanova, thereby tying with No. 20 St. John’s (17-3, 8-1) for the lead in the Big East standings.
Since Shaka Smart took charge of the Marquette team in 2021, the Golden Eagles have not faced a defeat against the Wildcats.
Villanova’s Jordan Longino had an impressive performance, netting a career-high 27 points alongside seven assists. Eric Dixon, who held the Division I lead with an average of 24.9 points per game, managed to score 15 of his 18 points after the halftime break.
A silver lining for Villanova came when Tyler Perkins made his first three-pointer since December 17, successfully sinking his shot after a streak of 0 for 25 from beyond the arc over the course of the eight previous games. Although he missed his first three attempts on Friday, Perkins had previously converted on 45.3% of his three-point attempts (24 of 53) before hitting this notable shot.
The Golden Eagles secured their lead less than four minutes into the game, earning their second consecutive victory by double digits after suffering a loss of 59-57 at home against Xavier last weekend. Earlier in the week, Marquette dominated Seton Hall with a 76-59 win.
A pivotal moment occurred when Villanova was down 57-51 and Longino managed to steal the ball from Jones, but Marquette’s David Joplin blocked Longino’s attempt to score. On the following offensive play for Marquette, Zaide Lowery collected an offensive rebound and connected on a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 60-51 with 8:33 left in the game.
In terms of key statistics, Marquette exhibited strong ball control, committing only six turnovers and holding a remarkable 16-2 advantage in points scored off turnovers.
Looking ahead, Villanova will not take the court again until February 1, when they will host Creighton. Marquette, on the other hand, will play against Butler next Tuesday evening.