#MUBB Falls 80-76 at No. 12/11 Xavier

MILWAUKEE - The No. 25/23 Marquette University men's basketball team (14-5, 6-2 BIG EAST) dropped a tough 80-76 decision at No. 12/11 Xavier (15-3, 7-0 BIG EAST) Sunday afternoon in BIG EAST Conference action.

Guard Tyler Kolek led the way with 25 points and forward Oso Ighodaro chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds.

Marquette led by as many as nine points in the first half and 48-44 at the intermission after shooting 58.8 percent from the floor. Kolek and Jones combined for 30 points and 15 of the team's 20 baskets were assisted. Forward Oso Ighodaro was limited to just 11 minutes after picking up two early fouls.

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively in the second half, with MU using a 7-0 run to take a 61-58 advantage with 11:45 left. While Marquette's defense held Xavier to just 40.0 percent from the floor following intermission, the offensive attack wasn't able to get untracked as the Musketeers were able to hold on for the lead.

Xavier finished with a 45-31 advantage on the boards, including a 17-8 margin on the offensive glass, which led to 17 second-chance points.

Notables:

Kolek's 25 points marked his most since scoring a career-high 29 points at Providence on Dec. 20 and was his sixth double-digit effort of the season
Guard Kam Jones reached double figures for the 17^th time in 19 outings this season and tied his career high with five assists

UP NEXT:
Marquette returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. CT when the team hosts No. 19/19 Providence at Fiserv Forum. The Golden Eagles will honor the 2003 Final Four team at halftime in celebration of its 20^th anniversary season.

Keep up with the Marquette men's basketball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMBB) and Instagram (@marquette.basketball) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMensBB). Fans interested in tickets can contact the Marquette Ticket Office online or at 414-288-GOMU (4668).