The Golden Eagles’ Recent Struggles

Marquette has been a team that consistently offers some level of entertainment, but not always in the way fans would hope. Their 73-66 loss to St. John’s on December 29th was a prime example of how close they can be to victory and still fall short. In that game, Marquette missed 14 layups, with four of those coming in the fourth quarter when the team was within a possession of the lead. If even half of those shots had gone in, it’s easy to imagine a different outcome for the Golden Eagles.

The following day, New Year’s Day in Cincinnati, brought another unexpected twist. Just three hours before the game against Xavier, it was announced that Skylar Forbes would be out due to illness. While this news was concerning, it was also a relief to see her on the bench during the game, indicating she was recovering well. This setback left Marquette shorthanded, especially since Kennedi Perkins was still sidelined after a foot injury sustained early in the season against Truman State.

Against Xavier, Marquette struggled to find their rhythm. Despite a strong 14-0 run in the second quarter, they never fully took control of the game. In fact, they were outscored by the Musketeers in the third quarter, which somewhat undermined their earlier lead. While they managed to win the game, the underlying stats from that match raised concerns about their performance.

These back-to-back performances have left Marquette in a tough spot, especially considering their non-conference schedule didn’t provide much of a challenge for the NCAA selection committee. With their next three games set against three of the top teams in the conference, including a matchup against a Villanova team that hasn’t lost since November 12th, the pressure is mounting.

A win against Villanova would be ideal, but even a loss could be beneficial if Marquette can show they are capable of playing competent basketball. Key areas to focus on include hitting layups and reducing turnovers, as their 32% turnover rate against Xavier was the worst of the season.

Big East Game #6: Marquette vs. Villanova

Date: Sunday, January 4, 2025

Time: 3pm Central

Location: Al McGuire Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Streaming: Peacock, with Kylen Mills and Chloe Marotta on the call

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast

Twitter Updates: @MarquetteWBB

Bluesky Updates: @AnonymousEagle

Marquette and Villanova have a long-standing rivalry, with the Golden Eagles holding a 19-17 all-time record against the Wildcats. The last meeting saw Villanova take a 65-53 win at the Finn, ending a two-game winning streak for Marquette. Since then, the Wildcats have won seven of the last nine matchups.

Villanova started the season with some challenges, including a 75-63 home loss to Fairfield and a close 73-68 defeat against Princeton. However, they have since turned things around, remaining undefeated since that shaky start. Highlights of their recent success include wins at James Madison and West Virginia. Currently, they are 5-0 in the Big East, with this game against Marquette being one of their toughest tests so far.

Jasmine Bascoe is the standout player for Villanova, leading the team in scoring at 17.3 points per game and assists at 4.4 per game. She’s also the only Wildcat attempting more than eight shots per game, averaging over 17 attempts nightly. Brynn McCurry, a 6’1” forward, is equally valuable, leading the team in rebounds (5.9 per night) and contributing 12.1 points and 3.9 assists per game.

Despite Bascoe’s effective field goal percentage of just 45.2%, Villanova remains a strong shooting team, ranking #20 nationally in effective field goal percentage. They hit 38% of their threes and nearly 52% of their twos. Marquette’s defense will need to be vigilant, especially against players like Ryanne Allen, Brooke Bender, Kennedy Henry, and Kelsey Joens, who all shoot at least 37% from beyond the arc.

One final note: Jasmine Bascoe was listed as questionable before Villanova’s game against Creighton, but she played 33 minutes and put up 15 points on 7-for-19 shooting. It seems she’s in good shape for the upcoming game against Marquette.

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