UConn basketball was in complete control as they dismantled Marquette 81-53.
Saturday’s matchup between the #1 ranked UConn Huskies and the #4 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles was one of the most anticipated Big East regular season games this season. Both teams entered the contest on impressive winning streaks as they continued to battle for the Big East regular season title. This matchup was the 10th top-five matchup in program history for UConn as well as the first time that UConn basketball has hosted such a matchup since 2009.
The opening stretch of the game saw both sides trading baskets through physical play in the paint as neither team could get their jump shots to fall. Eventually, the lid came off the basket first for UConn as they went on a 13-point run late in the first half to pull ahead. Marquette tried to fight back in the second half, but UConn had already taken control of the game and never let the Golden Eagles get close again. Being able to score from every spot on the court was impressive for the Huskies, but perhaps more important was their ability to slow down one of the best offenses in the Big East as they held Marquette to just 53 points for the game. The 28-point victory for UConn basketball is the largest margin of victory in a top-five conference matchup in the history of the AP Poll.
ANOTHER DOMINANT PERFORMANCE FROM NO. 1 UCONN 🫣
The Huskies breeze past No. 4 Marquette for their 14th STRAIGHT victory 😳 pic.twitter.com/6gf41ogK5j
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 17, 2024
Takeaway #1: There is no ceiling for UConn
In the wise words of Michael Jordan “The ceiling is the roof”, but there’s no roof left on the XL Center after all the U-C-O-N-N chants blew it off on Saturday. Donovan Clingan and Tristen Newton led the way for the Huskies with impressive performances. Clingan was a force of nature in the paint and looked like the dominant center that Huskies fans know he can be. He finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and ZERO personal fouls in the contest which is especially impressive considering the tough matchup he had with Oso Ighodaro. Newton flirted with a triple-double as he finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
This UConn basketball team continues to get better and just when you think you have seen their best, they top it again. The Huskies are the hottest team in the country as they extend their win streak to 14 games, which ties the Big East record for the longest conference winning streak, and show no signs of stopping anytime soon. If there is anything to be cautious of with this UConn team, it’s that they haven’t gotten a marquee road win yet and with upcoming road matchups against Creighton, Marquette, and Providence it feels like it’s just a matter of time before Dan Hurley checks off another box.
Takeaway #2: Marquette didn’t show up
A lot of credit deservedly goes to UConn for such a great performance, but at the same time, this isn’t a Golden Eagles squad that deserved to be embarrassed on the road. They lost big last year in Hartford too and went on to win both the Big East regular season and tournament title so it certainly isn’t a loss that should waiver your confidence in the Golden Eagles. Tyler Kolek is the reigning Big East Player of the Year yet had just 7 points on 2-11 shooting as he had trouble getting his jump shot to fall. As a team, Marquette shot just under 22% from three which is definitely an area they will be looking at for their rematch with UConn in Wisconsin.
Takeaway #3: Hassan Diarra’s impact is priceless
Last year’s national championship team had a deep bench which is almost a requirement if you want to even consider having a deep run in the tournament. After losing a number of contributors to either the NBA draft or graduation, it wasn’t clear who was left to provide that crucial depth for the Huskies. Hassan Diarra has been the clear answer as his game has seriously improved from last year. On Saturday, he had 14 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals in what may have been one of the most important games of his college career. If he can keep this level of play up, Hassan could be the fuel to propel UConn basketball deep in March.
Next game for UConn: at Creighton (Tues., Feb. 20 – 8:30 p.m.)
Next game for Marquette: vs. Deaul (Wed., Feb. 21 – 9:00 p.m.)