Marquette beats Providence despite losing Kolek in second half

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Jayden Pierre #1 of the Providence Friars dribbles the ball against Kam Jones #1 of the Marquette Golden Eagles during the second half at Fiserv Forum on February 28, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE - No. 5 Marquette trounced Providence 91-69 on Wednesday night despite playing most of the second half without Tyler Kolek, who left the game with an oblique injury.

Kolek, the reigning Big East player of the year, headed into the tunnel with just over 15 minutes left as Marquette led 60-37. He then returned to the bench and checked into the game before exiting again about 12 seconds later.

The Golden Eagles, up 20 at that point, were just fine without him.

Kam Jones had 17 points, Kolek finished with 12 points and six assists in his 18 minutes and David Joplin scored 13. Chase Ross and Stevie Mitchell added 12 points each as Marquette (22-6, 13-4 Big East) never trailed and won for the 11th time in 12 games.

Devin Carter scored 18, Ticket Gaines 15, Corey Floyd Jr. 13 and Josh Oduro 12 for Providence (18-10, 9-8).

Marquette avenged a 72-57 loss at Providence, a Dec. 19 game that marked the Big East opener for both teams. Mitchell didn’t play in that first matchup due to a hamstring injury but made an immediate impact Wednesday and had 10 points just six minutes into the game.

Mitchell also helped lead a tenacious defense that enabled Marquette to grab a 27-4 lead in the first 9 ½ minutes. Providence missed seven of its first eight shots, and the game was nearly 12 ½ minutes in by the time the Friars made their first two-point basket.

The most memorable image of that opening flurry from Marquette came when Kolek sank a 3-pointer while bleeding on the right side of the face from a cut near his eye. The shot put Marquette ahead 25-4, and Jones converted a layup 34 seconds later to cap a 15-0 run.

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Marquette led 50-26 at the half and stayed ahead by at least 19 the rest of the way.

While the game never got close in the second half, it did get a little chippy.

Oduro got called for an offensive foul with about 16 ½ minutes left after delivering a hard screen that sent Mitchell to the floor. Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro shoved Oduro in response. After a review, Ighodaro was charged with a technical foul.