Marquette Men’s Basketball team demonstrated a commanding presence in their recent game against Kansas, clinching a significant victory in the Maui Invitational semifinals. The team’s composed yet assertive play style was a contrast to the steaming frustration of their coach, Shaka Smart, evident on the sidelines.
The No. 4 ranked Marquette, led by Oso Ighodaro with 21 points and nine rebounds, outplayed the top-ranked Jayhawks with a final score of 73-59. The game, witnessed by Marquette great Dwyane Wade from the front row, quickly turned one-sided as the Golden Eagles led for nearly its entire duration, showcasing their dominance on the court.
Despite a heated moment in the first half where both teams received technical fouls after a confrontation between Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. and Coach Smart, Marquette maintained their composure. This incident, stemming from a history between Smart and McCullar from Smart’s time coaching at Texas, did not deter the Golden Eagles from their focused gameplay.
Marquette’s performance was bolstered by Chase Ross and Kam Jones, who contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively. Their effort complemented Ighodaro’s dominant presence, leading to a substantial lead against the Jayhawks.
Kansas, despite efforts from McCullar Jr. with 24 points and eight rebounds and Hunter Dickinson, struggled against Marquette’s tight defense. Tyler Kolek and Stevie Mitchell spearheaded Marquette’s defensive efforts, which were instrumental in limiting Dickinson, who entered the game with impressive average scores, to just 13 points.
This win marks Marquette Basketball’s improved record to 3-11 against top-ranked teams, with their last victory over a No. 1 team being in January 2017 against Villanova. It also sets them up for a historic match in the tournament championship against No. 2 Purdue, making Marquette the first team since Loyola Chicago in 1972 to play the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the AP Top 25 on consecutive days.
The Jayhawks, on the other hand, are set to face No. 7 Tennessee in the third-place game on Wednesday (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), seeking to rebound from this defeat.
Marquette’s victory in this early-season clash of national title contenders has set an exciting tone for the remainder of the Maui Invitational, highlighting the unpredictable and exhilarating nature of college basketball.