Replay | Marquette overpowers Xavier in Big East championship game
NEW YORK – Everything that could go wrong, did.
The team that dismantled Creighton on Friday night was missing in action on Saturday against Marquette in the Big East Conference Tournament championship at Madison Square Garden.
The Golden Eagles throttled the Musketeers without remorse, 65-51, to sweep the regular season and conference tournament championships.
Xavier dug an early hole and never could climb out of it.
The 51 points are a season-low for the Musketeers. Xavier had its worst shooting performance of the season and Marquette's defense had a lot to do with that.
Xavier will have to put Saturday's performance behind them in the NCAA Tournament.
No comeback in sight | Marquette 57, Xavier 37, 7:52 2H
One night after everything went right for Xavier, everything's gone wrong for the Musketeers tonight.
Marquette's been more aggressive, executed better, and it's led to a dominant showing for the Golden Eagles in the Big East title game.
Xavier's going to hear its name called on Selection Sunday tomorrow and the Musketeers will get a chance to correct this performance in the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn't make it any easier to digest in the moment.
Marquette in complete control | Marquette 45, Xavier 26, 15:23 2H
Xavier needed to come out of the halftime locker room with some fire and find a spark that could change the course of this game.
That hasn't happened. Instead, it looks a lot like what happened in the first half.
Back against the wall | Marquette 39, Xavier 24, HALF
Xavier's 10-0 run was important. Without it, the halftime deficit would look way worse than it already does.
Xavier's going to need to a superhuman response to get back in this game.
Marquette's playing at an extremely high level and Xavier's not.
The Golden Eagles are taking care of the basketball with only one turnover to Xavier's six. Marquette's 14-of-32 from the field. Xavier's shooting 11-of-34. The Musketeers have one 3-pointer. Marquette has five.
The defense hasn't been there for Xavier. The star power hasn't either. Souley Boum, Colby Jones and Jack Nunge are 4-for-16 from the field with a total of nine points between them.
Marquette's Tyler Kolek, the Big East player of the year, has nine points himself.
Signs of life for Xavier | Marquette 33, Xavier 17, 3:53 1H
The first hint of momentum has arrived for Xavier in the form of a 7-0 run.
Jerome Hunter just battled like crazy on the offensive glass, collecting back-to-back offensive boards leading to Xavier's first 3-pointer of the game from Adam Kunkel.
Marquette took a timeout to try and stifle the momentum.
Xavier has a mountain to climb | Marquette 33, Xavier 12, 6:13 1H
The way things are going, Xavier's given itself a mountain to climb to have any chance at getting back into this game.
Marquette's smothering Xavier with its defensive intensity and ball pressure. Xavier's defense it getting beaten off the dribble and giving up way too many clean looks on the perimeter.
Xavier has five turnovers. Marquette has zero.
Bad to worse for Xavier | Marquette 26, Xavier 8, 9:27 1H
The Golden Eagles are putting on a clinic and Xavier's getting run over.
Marquette's 9-of-18 from the field, 3-for-6 from 3-point, and Xavier's offense looks just as confused as its defense.
Marquette's running Xavier off the floor | Marquette 21, Xavier 6, 11:58 1H
Xavier's been unable to respond at all to Marquette's ferocious start. The Golden Eagles have dominated every aspect of the first eight minutes.
Marquette's attacking the rim, knocking down shots on the perimeter, and Xavier doesn't seem to have any answers.
Colby Jones, Souley Boum and Jack Nunge have two points between them.
Marquette's Oliver-Maxence Prosper have seven points.
Xavier comes out flat, Marquette's rolling | Marquette 12, Xavier 2, 16:21 1H
The Musketeers have started the game 1-for-8 from the field. Xavier's generated some good looks, but nothing's falling.
Marquette, on the other hand, is getting whatever it wants against Xavier's defense. The Golden Eagles are 5-of-8 from the field, and Sean Miller just had to burn an early timeout.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East championship recap: Marquette beats Xavier for title
