University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Marquette University
No. 6 UConn Goes On The Road To Challenge Marquette
1/10/2023 12:10:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Jan. 10, 2023
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The UConn men's basketball team faces another BIG EAST Conference road challenge Wednesday when it takes on a surging Marquette team at Fiserv Forum (7 p.m., FS1).
The #6/#7 Huskies (15-2 overall, 4-2 BIG EAST) snapped a two-game losing streak, their only losses of the season, against Creighton on Saturday, stopping the Bluejays' three-game winning streak. Wednesday, UConn will meet a #25/#23 Marquette team (13-4, 5-1) that has won its last four games and seven of its last eight.
"It doesn't get any easier from here," UConn sophomore Jordan Hawkins said after UConn's win over Creighton. "So, we've just got to stay locked in."
UConn will need all its weapons against a Marquette team that boasts a 9-1 record at home, the only loss to Wisconsin in overtime. The Golden Eagles average 83.1 points per game, even more (84.8) in BIG EAST contests. Marquette shoots 50.1 percent as a team, 35.3 percent from three-point range. The Golden Eagles have a pesky defense, which has been forcing opponents into 16.1 turnovers per game.
Sophomore guard Kam Jones is Marquette's leading scorer (16.1) as well as the team's leading three-point threat, with almost double the amount of three-point attempts as any other player. He is one of four Golden Eagles averaging in double figures.
Junior forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (14.5), junior forward Oso Ighodaro (11.5) and sophomore forward David Joplin (10.2) are the other double-figure scorers. Sophomore guard Tyler Kolek is third in the country with an 8.0 assist per game average.
UConn will counter with its own major weapon, junior forward Adama Sanogo, who was dominant against Creighton with 26 points and 9 rebounds and who leads the Huskies in scoring (17.9) and rebounding (6.9). Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins is also averaging double figures (14.8). Junior Andre Jackson leads the team in assists (4.8).
The Huskies are averaging 80.2 points per game and own a plus-18.8 scoring margin and a plus-7.0 rebound margin over opponents.
Marquette will be the third ranked team UConn has faced so far this season. The Huskies defeated then #18 Alabama, 82-67, at the PKI Tournament in Portland, Ore., and they bowed to then #22 Xavier, 83-73, in Cincinnati.
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