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15 turnovers is a marked improvement for the Golden Eagles from their season average, so it's not surprising that they managed to pull out the win on the road....
... Wait, what?
15 COMBINED turnovers? Marquette only had TEN? Good things happen when you hold on to the ball!
Even better than the lack of turnovers was Marquette's rebounding effort. They snagged 36% of their own misses, as six of the eight players who saw action recorded at least one offensive rebound. On the other end of the court, they didn't let Villanova get to their misses, allowing the Wildcats to grab just 12.1% of their possible offensive rebounds.
The key to turning a two point halftime deficit into a win was defense. Villanova shot just 24% after intermission. Their real problem was missing all 12 of their three ball attempts, which made up nearly half of their shot attempts.
Abbie Willenborg Player Of The Game: I'm still partial to preferring players that don't turn the ball over here, even though the team was much better at keeping track of the ball in this one. Even though I could go in a number of directions with this one, Arlesia Morse gets the nod. Nine points, seven rebounds, one assist, and as I mentioned, zero turnovers.
Clare Barnard Undersung Eagle Of The Game: Apiew Ojulu returned to action after missing the last six with a foot injury. She scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in just 15 minutes. It's good to have the 6'3" sophomore back in the lineup.
Up Next: The road swing continues as Marquette heads out to Cincinnati (8-15, 0-10 Big East) on Wednesday night.