NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Kolek and David Joplin each scored 17 points, and No. 6 Marquette moved into the Big East championship game for the first time by holding off No. 11 UConn 70-68 on Friday night.
Playing with three key players on the bench in foul trouble for a large chunk of time down the stretch, the top-seeded Golden Eagles (27-6) opened a four-point lead on a 3-pointer by Olivier-Maxence Prosper with 3:39 left and then held on at raucous Madison Square Garden.
UConn had a chance to tie or win in the final seconds, but coach Dan Hurley elected not to call a timeout as his team brought the ball across halfcourt. Jordan Hawkins missed badly on a contested, desperation 3 at the buzzer.
Marquette limited the fourth-seeded Huskies (25-8) to two points over the final 3:50 and kept them scoreless for the last 2 1/2 minutes, winning for the first time in four semifinal appearances at the Big East Tournament since joining the league in 2005.
Kam Jones added 14 points and Prosper scored 11 for the Golden Eagles, who will face No. 15 Xavier or No. 24 Creighton for the title Saturday night.
Adama Sanogo had 19 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Huskies, who had won six straight and nine of 10.
Marquette, the top seed in this tournament for the first time, has won eight in a row for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
MARQUETTE (27-6)
Ighodaro 3-5 0-1 6, Prosper 3-8 4-4 11, K.Jones 5-10 1-2 14, Kolek 6-11 3-4 17, Mitchell 1-3 0-0 2, Ross 1-5 0-0 3, Joplin 5-7 3-3 17, Gold 0-1 0-0 0, S.Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 11-14 70.
UCONN (25-8)
Karaban 4-5 0-0 10, Sanogo 8-12 3-4 19, Hawkins 2-11 0-0 5, Jackson 1-2 0-2 2, Newton 2-10 3-5 7, Alleyne 4-8 0-0 10, Calcaterra 3-8 0-0 8, Clingan 2-3 3-4 7, Diarra 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-59 9-15 68.
Halftime_38-38. 3-Point Goals_UConn 7-25 (Karaban 2-2, Alleyne 2-4, Calcaterra 2-7, Hawkins 1-8, Jackson 0-1, Sanogo 0-1, Newton 0-2), Marquette 11-29 (Joplin 4-5, K.Jones 3-7, Kolek 2-5, Prosper 1-4, Ross 1-5, Gold 0-1, S.Jones 0-1, Mitchell 0-1). Fouled Out_Jackson. Rebounds_UConn 34 (Sanogo 11), Marquette 21 (K.Jones 6). Assists_UConn 13 (Newton 6), Marquette 12 (Kolek 6). Total Fouls_UConn 14, Marquette 17. A_19,812 (19,812).
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