NCAA Tournament: Marquette tops Colorado 81-77 to reach Sweet 16
INDIANAPOLIS, (AP) - Tyler Kolek had 21 points and 11 assists, and David Joplin made two free throws with 7.4 seconds left to help Marquette finally put away Colorado 81-77 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In their third season under coach Shaka Smart, the second-seeded Golden Eagles (27-9) reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013 by outlasting the 10th-seeded Buffaloes (26-11) and their dynamic offense.
Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) drives past Colorado Buffaloes guard KJ Simpson (2) during the Marquette Golden Eagles versus the Colorado Buffaloes in the second round of the NCAA Division 1 Championship on March 24, 2024, at Gainbrid
Kam Jones scored 18 points and Joplin finished with 14 for Marquette, which shot 61.8% from the field but still couldn’t shake Colorado until the closing seconds. Chase Ross made a tiebreaking 3-pointer off a pass from Kolek with 2:53 left and finished with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
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KJ Simpson scored 20 points and Tristan da Silva had 17 for Colorado, which trailed by 11 at halftime but rallied to take a 55-54 lead just over five minutes into the second half. Kolek put the Golden Eagles back on top with a short jumper and Marquette never trailed again, but Colorado tied it twice, the last time on a 3-pointer by da Silva with 4:02 remaining.
Oso Ighodaro #13 of the Marquette Golden Eagles dribbles against Bangot Dak #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 24, 2024 in Indianapolis, In
The Buffs trailed 79-77 and had to foul three times before putting Joplin on the line for a 1-and-1. He knocked down both and set up a South Region semifinal meeting with No. 11 seed North Carolina State in Dallas on Friday.
Playing his second game since an oblique injury that sidelined him for six contests, Kolek was efficient for the Golden Eagles, shooting 10 of 14 from the floor and routinely finding open teammates.
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Eddie Lampkin Jr. scored 13 points and Cody Williams had 12 for the Buffs, who had already set a program record for victories and were playing their third game in five days. They topped Boise State in the First Four and then beat Florida 102-100 in one of the most entertaining games of the first round.
This one might have been even better.
Marquette led 45-34 at halftime but da Silva and Simpson came out firing in the second half. They combined for five 3-pointers during a 21-9 run over the first 5:19.
Marquette advances to the Sweet 16 and will face off against No. 11 seed NC State.