#mubb falls in OT to Providence, 81-80

MILWAUKEE — The Marquette University men's basketball team fell in overtime, 81-80, to Providence on Tuesday night at Fiserv Forum.

MU trailed the entire first half and overcame a 10-point deficit to fight back into the game. With the Golden Eagles leading 67-64 late in the second half, PC's A.J. Reeves hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime. Reeves scored eight of his 10 points in the second half and overtime to lead the Friars to a one-point win.

MU was spearheaded by double-figure scoring efforts from Markus Howard (39) and Brendan Bailey (19), while Sacar Anim had nine points and Koby McEwen chipped in five.

Howard set the MU career made field goals record with his 727^th make in Blue and Gold on a 3-pointer with 1:12 left in the first half. He passed former Golden Eagle star Jerel McNeal '09 for No. 1 all-time.

PC started fast and led the entire first half, building their lead up to as many as 10 points before MU cut the deficit to five at the break. The Golden Eagles shot just 32.6 percent from the field in the first half and Howard was the only MU player in double figures with 12 points.

Brendan Bailey and Markus Howard scored eight points apiece in an 18-7 run for MU in the first 6:29 of the second half as the Golden Eagles grabbed their first lead of the game. PC answered with a 14-4 run of their own in the next five minutes of play to retake a four-point lead.

A back-and-forth final few minutes of regulation bled into overtime, where there were four ties and no team led by more than three points. PC guard Luwane Pipkins hit the eventual game-winning free throw to put his team up 81-78 with 12 seconds to play.

MU's Brendan Bailey had a chance to tie the game after being fouled on a 3-pointer with four seconds left in overtime. He made the first two foul shots and missed the third one, which would have tied the game at 81.

Five Friars, led by Maliek White's 19 points, scored in double figures. Nate Watson had 13 points, leading scorers Alpha Diallo and David Duke had 12 and Reeves scored 10.

BIG PICTURE
Providence takes sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST with a 3-0 conference record. They'll take on a top-10 team in 14-1 (2-0) Butler on Friday night for a chance to stay unbeaten in league play.

The Golden Eagles will look to bounce back on the road against No. -/25 Seton Hall on Saturday afternoon at the Prudential Center as they look to get back to .500 in league play.

UP NEXT
Providence: Hosts No. 6 Butler on Friday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. CT.

Marquette: Travels to No. -/25 Seton Hall for a game on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. CT.