Colorado basketball vs Marquette live score, updates, highlights from March Madness game
INDIANAPOLIS — Marquette and Colorado, two of the most efficient teams in college basketball, are battling for a trip to the Sweet 16.
March Madness at its finest.
It's a matchup that features a pair of elite point guards, Marquette's Tyler Kolek and Colorado's KJ Simpson, and two high-octane offenses. The Buffs already have an NCAA Tournament moment that will live on forever after Simpson got a game-winning jumper to rattle home in the final seconds against Florida on Friday.
The Coloradoan is live on the scene in Indianapolis with coverage from March Madness.
Follow along for updates throughout today's game as the NCAA Tournament gets underway.
More: Colorado basketball battles Marquette in March Madness thriller, Buffs' rally falls short
Marquette holds off Colorado in NCAA Tournament
Colorado won the second half but Marquette is advancing in March Madness, beating the Buffs 81-77.
Tyler Kolek dropped a game-high 21 points and 11 assists to lead the Golden Eagles to the Sweet 16.
KJ Simpson finished with a team-high 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Tyler Kolek gives Marquette late lead
Tyler Kolek's floater with 50 seconds left gave Marquette a 79-76 lead with 50 seconds left.
The NCAA's assist leader has 13 second-half points (21) for the game.
Cody Williams splits a pair of clutch free throws
It's a big spot for a freshman to be in.
Cody Williams stepped to the free throw line for two shots with his team trailing by three with 21 seconds left.
He split the pair.
Marquette is up 79-77 with 17 seconds left.
Colorado, Marquette basketball shaping up to be instant classic
After 37 minutes of action, the game is tied.
Colorado has outscored Marquette 40-29 so far in the second half to storm back and knot things at 74 with three minutes left.
Simpson and Tristan da Silva have combined for 26 points and six 3's in the second frame.
Marquette holding onto lead, Kam Jones in foul trouble
The Golden Eagles are holding off a Colorado comeback, making six of their last seven FG attempts, but their leading scorer is now in foul trouble.
Kam Jones, who has a game-high 18 points, just picked up his fourth foul with less than eight minutes still to play.
That could prove to be pivotal.
Marquette is up 69-64 with 7:46 left.
Colorado takes first lead of game, Marquette responds
A Simpson 3-pointer gave Colorado its first lead of the day with 14:30 left but Marquette answered with three consecutive makes to re-gain control.
The Buffs, however, are still outscoring the Golden Eagles 23-17 so far in the second half.
Marquette is up 62-47 with 11:17 left.
Colorado opens second half on 10-2 run
Back-to-back 3's from Tristan da Silva and KJ Simpson early in the second half have cut Marquette's lead down to three.
It's exactly the start the Buffs needed.
Marquette is up 47-44 with 18:06 left.
Marquette 45, Colorado 34 at half
Colorado ended the first half on a 2:55 scoring drought.
The Buffs have made just three of their 13 3-point attempts. Marquette's Kam Jones has more (four) than that himself.
The Golden Eagles guard has a game-high 16 points at the half on 6-for-9 shooting.
Tyler Kolek has eight points and six assists.
KJ Simpson beginning to come alive offensively
After missing his first four FG attempts, Simpson has made each of his last three shots, including a 3-pointer.
The junior guard is now up to seven points, four assists and a rebound in 16 minutes. Simpson is known for being a clutch, second-half performer.
The Buffs will need a similar performance today.
Marquette is up 37-30 with 3:57 left in the first half.
Marquette's Kam Jones is on a heater
Marquette junior guard Kam Jones scored 28 points in the Golden Eagles' first-round win over Western Kentucky.
In 11 minutes of play today, Jones has 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting (3-for-5) from deep. The sharpshooting guard makes Marquette difficult to beat when he's feeling it like this.
Marquette is up 32-20 with 7:36 left in the first half.
Golden Eagles make first run
Colorado coach Tad Boyle signaled for a timeout as Marquette doubled up the Buffs' score.
The Golden Eagles have made 10 of their first 14 field goal attempts. Colorado has nearly as many turnovers (four) as made field goals (five) early on.
Buffs have to stay attached, or this could get ugly.
Marquette is up 22-11 with 11:36 left in the first half.
Marquette letting it fly from deep early on
The Golden Eagles took 36 3-pointers on Friday in their first-round win over Western Kentucky.
Five of their first eight shot attempts (two makes) today are from deep. Colorado will have to run Marquette off the 3-point line.
Marquette is up 12-7 with 15:00 left in the first half.
Marquette basketball starters
No. 1 Kam Jones
No. 4 Stevie Mitchell
No. 11 Tyler Kolek
No. 13 Oso Ighodaro
No. 23 David Joplin
Colorado basketball starters
Starting for the Buffs:
No. 0 Luke O'Brien
No. 1 J'Vonne Hadley
No. 2 KJ Simpson
No. 23 Tristan da Silva
No. 44 Eddie Lampkin Jr.
Tyler Kolek vs. KJ Simpson
KJ Simpson, a first-team All-Pac-12 guard, has flown under the national radar for most of the season before his March Madness moment.
Tyler Kolek, the NCAA's leader in assists, has been one of the most talked about guards in college basketball this season.
One of them will likely be the reason their team advances to the Sweet 16.
"He's a great guard," Simpson said of Kolek. "He's excellent in every category. There's a reason he was an All-American. I have nothing but respect for him and the rest of the team. They have great players. Obviously they have shown that all year. They have a great coaching staff.
"Florida has great guard play and in Zyon Pullin and Walter Clayton Jr. So I just look forward to those matchups. You look forward to those guys that you hear about. You want to play against the best and he's definitely one of the best in the nation at his position and I'm just blessed to be here and definitely just going to go out there and make the most of my opportunity."
Shaka Smart has high praise for Colorado freshman Cody Williams
Marquette coach Shaka Smart believes Cody Williams is "probably the best young player in the country."
The projected first-round NBA draft pick has been coming off the bench since returning from a four-game absence to end the regular season. Williams, after struggling upon his return, was a team-high plus-12 in Colorado's first-round win over Florida.
Smart knows the freshman's ceiling is as high anyone's.
More: Cody Williams: 'Probably the best young player in the country,' Shaka Smart says
"He's a ridiculous talent, that's for sure," Smart said of Williams. "Let's be honest, in our sport, that's how young players are evaluated, by the talent that kind of jumps off the screen. But he also appears to be a very high-character guy who cares about winning, cares about his teammates. It seems like he's very, very coachable.
"The fact that he's coming off the bench right now when he started the majority of games before he got hurt says a lot about who he is and the fact that he's about the team and about winning."
Colorado basketball has shades of 1955 Final Four team
Colorado won has won back-to-back NCAA Tournament games for the first time since the Buffs' 1955 Final Four team did it.
That's not the only similarity between the two squads.
More: How Colorado basketball 2024 NCAA Tournament team has shades of 1955 Final Four squad
What's the next matchup?
The winner of Colorado and Marquette advances to play No. 11 NC State.
Series history
Colorado and Marquette have met just four times, with the matchups coming in consecutive years from 1984-87. The Golden Eagles are 3-1 against the Buffs all-time.
How to watch Colorado vs Marquette NCAA Tournament game
The game is on CBS with Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner and Stan Van Gundy on the call.
Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Procter on X.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado vs Marquette live score, updates: 2024 NCAA Tournament
