KU basketball falls to No. 4 Marquette in feisty game ... where coaches got into it
After winning the Maui Invitational in 2019 and 2015 and placing second in 2011, the Kansas Jayhawks will have to settle for either third or fourth place in the prestigious tournament this season.
It was No. 4-ranked Marquette that halted the No. 1 Jayhawks’ seven-game winning streak in paradise Tuesday in SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
Oso Ighodaro scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Kam Jones had 10 points. Tyler Kolek added six points and four assists as the Golden Eagles (5-0) of the Big East Conference tripped the Jayhawks (4-1) 73-59 in an intense semifinal matchup shown on ESPN.
It was so intense it featured first-half technical fouls on both benches, as coaches from both teams, including KU’s Bill Self and Marquette’s Shaka Smart, appeared to have words with each other.
Like Smart, who was held back by players and coaches, KU’s KJ Adams also had to be restrained as he was especially upset at something that happened just after Kevin McCullar drilled a 3 with 3:19 left in the half and KU down 33-28.
Players and coaches from both teams were on the court appearing to argue with each other but there was no pushing or shoving.
Cooler heads prevailed as Smart and Self were brought together by an official who explained the ruling of a technical on each bench after viewing the monitor.
Kevin McCullar scored 24 points with eight rebounds for the Jayhawks, who had defeated Chaminade in a first-round game Monday. Hunter Dickinson had 13 points and eight rebounds. Dajuan Harris had just four points and KJ Adams three.
KU was just 6-of-17 from 3 and 9-of-16 from the line. The Jayhawks suffered 18 turnovers; McCullar had six of them.
Marquette will move to the finals, where Shaka Smart’s Golden Eagles will meet No. 2 Purdue at 4 p.m. Central on Wednesday. KU will take on Tennessee at 1:30 p.m. Central in the third-place game.
Here are some takeaways from the action...
A bit quicker than Chaminade
The difference in team speed and athleticism from players on Marquette’s team compared to first-round KU foe Chaminade was apparent before the first TV timeout.
Marquette’s Kam Jones swished two 3s and Stevie Mitchell added another as the Golden Eagles led early at 8-2, and then 11-5. McCullar’s five early points helped KU stay within three at 12-9 at the first TV timeout.
MU’s Sean Jones hit an acrobatic inside shot and free throw and Chase Ross followed with a layup; speedy MU led 21-16 at the 12:14 mark. At that point KU had three turnovers to Marquette’s one.
Much of the game that followed was played at an even wider margin.
Blocks ignite Golden Eagles
MU big man Ighodaro rejected a driving layup by Dajuan Harris, banging the basketball forcibly off the backboard after the shot was released.
Shortly after, Ighodaro again blocked a layup try of Harris. At that point, Marquette led, 29-22.
The Golden Eagles stretched the lead to 33-22 late in the half. Ighodaro finished with nine rebounds and two blocks to go along with his 21 points.
Nick Timberlake’s struggles continue
Timberlake, KU’s senior transfer from Towson, had two points on 1-of-5 shooting versus Chaminade. Those struggles continued early on Tuesday night, as he came off the bench and missed a shot and two free throws as MU stretched its lead to 27-16.
McCullar scored four straight points to keep within reach at 27-20. Timberlake had no points in four minutes at halftime.
Timberlake did hit a 3 from the corner in the final half, but he finished just 1-for-5 overall (1-for-3 from 3) in 12 minutes.
Ex-Jayhawk guard wins game on halfcourt shot
Elsewhere in college hoops on Tuesday ... former KU guard Bobby Pettiford, who beat Wisconsin with a game-winning layup in overtime in the Bahamas a year ago, won a game for his new school, East Carolina.
He cashed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to erase an 84-82 deficit and defeat Kennesaw State (85-84) in the final game of the TowneBank Holiday Classic.
Pettiford averaged 2.2 points in 12.1 minutes per game (32 appearances) for KU last season.
This story was originally published November 22, 2023 at 12:17 AM.
