We have our Big East Tournament championship matchup set: Marquette looks to run it back against the top dog.
An electric Madison Square Garden opened the Big East Tournament semifinals with a 95-90 shootout, in which UConn took down St. John’s. That was followed by Marquette surviving Providence’s late comeback surge 79-68, setting up a matchup of projected top two NCAA Tournament seeds in the Big East Tournament finals.
Takeaway #1: UConn handles another unique challenge, reaffirming their ability to win games of different styles
UConn is clearly a better team than St. John’s, but Rick Pitino’s squad is not necessarily the best matchup for them. For starters, the Red Storm are particularly physical, going into the game with the fourth-highest offensive rebound rate nationally at 38.5%, even higher than UConn’s 37.2%. And they did have their way on the glass, generating 17 second chance opportunities compared to the Huskies’ seven.
Furthermore, this game turned into a track meet at several points, which certainly favors St. John’s. UConn is a half-court offense-oriented team, thriving off of Dan Hurley’s elaborate, often slow-developing, action. The back-and-forth style allowed the Red Storm to keep up on the scoreboard, converting in transition and even forcing a few backcourt turnovers.
But in the end, a familiar story gets told: UConn prevails and avoids a stressful ending. Do you ever wonder why the Huskies seem to always hit that timely shot? It’s not just a coincidence. It’s because they have every type of offensive threat in the book.
You need a veteran guard that can score and distribute? Give me Tristan Newton and Cam Spencer, who combined for 45 points and 18 assists in this one. You want a stretch four that is a matchup nightmare for a traditional big? There’s Alex Karaban, who knocked down three triples against St. John’s. You want a 7-foot presence in the post? Donovan Clingan is there. Not to mention their best NBA prospect is Stephon Castle, who is a slasher on the wing.
No, UConn will not overmatch every opponent in every facet. However, their overall well-roundedness makes them another good bet to make a run in the Big Dance.
Takeaway #2: Marquette once again finds just enough offense in Tyler Kolek’s absence
Nobody would blame Providence if they came out flat and exhausted, considering they were playing their third game in three days. That was certainly not the case, though. In desperation, the Friars emptied the tank.
Defensively, Providence stuck to their game plan. In particular, they heavily sagged off Oso Ighodaro, baiting him into taking tough floaters. The Marquette big finished with 20 points but on just 7-for-17 from the field. On the offensive end, it was simply the Devin Carter show. The Big East Player of the Year proved his worth, making big play after big play down the stretch, amassing 27 points and 8 rebounds.
Still, the Golden Eagles prevailed. No, it did not come without multiple offensive droughts, but for the third consecutive game, they figured out a way to claw through without their star point guard.
This is especially significant considering Marquette does not use a backup point guard to simply supplement Kolek. When he is out, the entire dynamic of the offense changes. Instead of benefiting off the catch, Kam Jones and company were forced to create more of their own shots. Role players like David Joplin and Stevie Mitchell needed to step up as well. And while they had their rough patches, they were up to the task enough to pull it out.
Marquette’s ceiling is as high as Tyler Kolek’s health will take them but they are clearly more dynamic than one would have thought a month ago. As for Providence and St. John’s, fate is now out of their hands and they will anxiously await Selection Sunday.