CHICAGO (AP) — Allazia Blockton scored 25 points and added a crucial three-point play as No. 10 Marquette held off DePaul 93-87 on Sunday for its 10th straight win.
The Golden Eagles led by 13 in the third quarter, but DePaul chipped away at the deficit and tied the game with 3:42 left in the fourth on a layup by Kelly Campbell. Blockton, the reigning Big East Player of the Year, gave Marquette a three-point lead with her basket and the foul with 2:01 left, and the hosts couldn't answer.
Marquette used a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to take control, with Amani Wilborn capping the burst by powering in a put-back layup plus the foul. DePaul made only one basket in the final six minutes of the first half and trailed 39-27 at the break.
Ashton Millender carried DePaul back into the game midway through the third quarter with seven points in 1:21, and Lexi Held beat the third-quarter buzzer with a put-back to make it 68-64 Marquette entering the fourth.
The Blue Demons couldn't pull ahead, however. Erika Davenport knocked down two free throws with 1:14 left to give Marquette an 88-83 advantage, and DePaul never had the ball with a chance to tie.
Marquette entered the game shooting 37.9 percent from 3 but never trailed after the first quarter despite shooting just 4 of 20 from deep. Chante Stonewall led DePaul with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
BIG PICTURE
Marquette: The Golden Eagles swept the Big East's third-place team and continue to look like the class of the league.
DePaul: While the Blue Demons fell one game behind Butler in the league standings, they currently own the tiebreaker and host the Bulldogs on Feb. 24.
UP NEXT
Marquette: Hosts Georgetown on Friday in the first of two straight home games.
DePaul: Hosts Villanova on Friday in a rematch of an overtime thriller the Blue Demons won 66-59 on Jan. 13.
