No. 8 Wisconsin holds off Marquette
MADISON, Wis. — Sam Dekker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 8 Wisconsin withstood a late Marquette rally for a 70-64 victory Saturday that snapped its two-game losing streak in the intrastate rivalry.
Frank Kaminsky added 11 points, including a straightaway 3 to give Wisconsin a 60-54 lead with 1:18 left. The crucial bucket stopped a 10-2 run by Marquette that helped close an 11-point deficit.
Jamil Wilson scored 22 points, including a 3 from the wing that had drawn Marquette (5-4) within three. Kaminsky then nailed his clutch 3 for the Badgers (10-0), who are off to the best start in 20 years.
Dekker deserves much of the credit after puzzling the Golden Eagles with his inside-out game. He hit three 3s and pleased the crowd with thunderous dunks.
Ben Brust added 13 points, 10 in the second half, while backcourt mate Traevon Jackson scored 12 after going 6 of 7 from the foul line after halftime.
Marquette had one last chance after 6-foot-8 Davante Gardner hit a 3 from the wing to get to 68-64 with 4 seconds left. Gardner had muscled his way to the bucket for most of his 16 points.
But the third member of Wisconsin’s solid backcourt, Josh Gasser, closed it out with two fouls shots. The Badgers were soon on their way to singing the alma mater in front of the student section to celebrate their first win over Marquette since a 69-64 victory in Milwaukee in 2010.
Gasser finished with 10 points and sparked the Badgers with his trademark defensive hustle.
On the other end, Marquette had no answer for Dekker, an energetic sophomore who has grown into one of coach Bo Ryan’s go-to players.
Dekker found the 7-foot Kaminsky for a dunk off an alley-oop pass early in the second half. Then Kaminsky returned the favor, connecting with his teammate for an alley-oop dunk for a 48-38 lead with about 10 minutes left in the game.
Dekker proved he’s a treat from the perimeter too.
Gasser tracked down a loose ball and drove the lane to draw defenders, only to pass to Dekker wide open from the corner for a 3 and an 11-point lead with about 8 minutes left.
Dekker finished 7 of 11 from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
The wide-eyed Dekker turned to the adoring crowd after almost every bucket and pumped his arms, encouraging the sea of red fans inside the Kohl Center to get louder.
They gave the Badgers a huge lift after Marquette made its late charge.
Marquette had experience and muscle in the frontcourt with Gardner, the 6-foot-11 Chris Otule (11 points) and 6-foot-7 Wilson. A 3-point play by Otule off an offensive rebound got Marquette within 57-51 with 3 minutes left.
But until the late 3s from Wilson and Gardner, the Golden Eagles rarely took a shot from long range.
Another thunderous dunk from Dekker closed out the first half to give the Badgers a 28-25 lead.