Top-ranked UConn takes control of Big East with commanding 81-53 win over No. 4 Marquette
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Donovan Clingan had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help top-ranked UConn rout No. 4 Marquette 81-53 Saturday and take control of the race for the Big East regular-season title.
Tristen Newton added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Huskies (24-2, 14-1), who have won 14 straight games. Cam Spencer and Hassan Diarra each added 14 points.
Kam Jones scored 15 points and Oso Ighodaro had 14 for Marquette (19-6, 10-4), which came into the game with an eight-game winning streak.
The Huskies now lead the second-place Golden Eagles in the Big East by three games in the loss column with five to play.
The Huskies led by 16 after a strong defensive first half and 18 after a put-back by Tristen Newton to open the second half.
They took their first 20-point lead at 51-30 after an offensive rebound by Newton, who fed Clingan for an emphatic dunk through the lane. UConn built its lead to as many as 29 points in the second half.
The game was tied at 18 before UConn took control. The Huskies held Marquette without a field goal for almost four minutes, went on a 13-0 run late in the half and went into the break leading 42-26.
BIG PICTURE
Marquette: The Golden Eagles came in shooting 53.6 percent from the floor during their winning streak and 42.5 percent from 3-point range. They were held to 37 percent Saturday and made just 5 of 23 shots from behind the arc.
UConn: The Huskies are looking for their first regular-season Big East title since 2005-06, a year they shared the crown with Villanova.
UP NEXT:
Marquette: Open a three-game homestand against Big East cellar-dweller DePaul on Wednesday
UConn: Heads to Nebraska to face the Big East’s other ranked team, No. 17 Creighton on Tuesday night
