Marquette ends skid by trouncing No. 16 Providence 88-56

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Justin Lewis had a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds as Marquette broke out of its slump Tuesday night with an 88-56 blowout of No. 16 Providence that snapped the Friars’ eight-game winning streak.

Marquette (9-6, 1-3 Big East) emphatically ended its four-game skid by scoring 20 straight points late in the first half. The Golden Eagles’ lead never dropped below 20 throughout the second half.

That represented a major reversal of fortune for Marquette, which faced double-digit deficits in the second half of each of its first three Big East games.

Providence (13-2, 3-1) didn’t have A.J. Reeves, who had played just nine minutes Saturday in a victory at DePaul and had his left pinky and ring finger taped together during that game. Reeves entered Tuesday ranked third on the team with 10.7 points per game.

The Friars fell for the first time since a 58-40 setback against Virginia on Nov. 23 at Newark, New Jersey.

Oso Ighodaro had 16 points, Kam Jones 14 and Olivier Maxence-Prosper 11 for Marquette, which shot 52.5% from the floor. Al Durham scored 16 and Ed Croswell added 11 for Providence.

Marquette bounced back from a 75-69 double-overtime home loss to Creighton in which the Golden Eagles allowed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first extra session.

The Golden Eagles wasted no time taking out their frustrations against the Friars during a first half featuring a few notable momentum shifts.

Marquette went on a 14-1 run early in the game to take a 20-6 lead. Providence outscored Marquette 12-2 over the next five minutes to get within four.

Then Marquette seized control of the game.

Marquette responded to that 12-2 Providence run by getting the next 20 points. Jones scored six points during that stretch and provided the biggest highlight with a step-back move that left him with a wide-open 3-pointer.

Providence trailed by 24 before scoring the last four points of the half. The Friars went 7 minutes, 48 seconds without a basket before Brycen Goodine finally ended the drought with one second left in the half.

Marquette poured it on in the second half and led by as many as 37.

BIG PICTURE

Providence: A lack of offense has cost the Friars in each of their losses. They shot 23.5% and made just 12 baskets against Virginia. Their inability to make baskets in the first half pretty much sealed their fate Tuesday. Providence shot 7 of 25 in the first half.

Marquette: This was a win the Golden Eagles desperately needed. They couldn’t afford to dig themselves into an 0-4 hole in the Big East to have any realistic hope of reaching the NCAA Tournament in coach Shaka Smart’s debut season.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

This blowout figures to drop Providence at least in to the 20s, though the Friars likely will stay in the poll next week if they don’t suffer a second straight loss.

UP NEXT

Providence: Hosts St. John’s on Saturday.

Marquette: At Georgetown on Friday.

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