Filed under: Louisville, Marquette
What appeared at one point to be a statement win on the road for Marquette quickly turned into a Preston Knowles shooting clinic. The senior made four threes in rapid succession and assisted on the game winning layup to spur a furious Louisville comeback in an amazing 71-70 win.Down 18 with 5:44 to play, the No. 18 Cardinals finished the game on a 24-5 run led by some heroic plays from Knowles. Marquette was completely unable to stop the spurt, and the Golden Eagles -- who scored with such ease for the first 35 minutes of play -- couldn't get a bucket.
Knowles led Louisville (14-3, 3-1) with 17 points and Terrence Jennings added seven off the bench, including four big free throws to keep the comeback alive in the waning minutes.
Darius Johnson-Odom led Marquette (12-6, 3-2) with 16 points on only 3-13 shooting, and Jimmy Butler -- who left a jumper from the lane short at the buzzer -- added 15.
How it was won: I have no idea. Louisville looked completely dead for most of the second half, but their sudden resurrection was certainly compelling television. Being able to make that sort of comeback against a defensive-minded, experienced, and patient team is all the more impressive.
How it was lost: I have no idea. There's really little to say, except Knowles caught fire and there was no one who could stop him. Marquette made a few hurried decisions in the final minute that could have saved the game, but overall, it was an event that likely won't occur again anytime soon.
Where to from here: Marquette gets a break against DePaul, and a chance to shake this one off, before playing five ranked teams in six games. Louisville's immediate future is a little less daunting, with St. John, Providence, and West Virginia before road games against Georgetown and Connecticut.
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