INDIANAPOLIS – The Marquette men’s basketball team has been in so many close games this season.
Flip a couple possessions here and there or get a clutch shot to fall and the Golden Eagles’ record looks a little different.
Following a theme of recent weeks, MU couldn’t overcome a stretch of four minutes when things go awry, and unfortunately for the Golden Eagles that came in the final stretch of an 87-76 loss to Butler on Friday, Jan. 23, at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
MU (7-14, 2-8 Big East) was within one possession at 75-72 with 3:58 remaining, but couldn’t get over the hump against the Bulldogs (13-7, 4-5).
The Golden Eagles shot 2 for 8 with two turnovers in that closing stretch, with one made layup conceded by Butler with 28 seconds left and the outcome decided.
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“They’re different games,” MU head coach Shaka Smart said. “So I don’t want to paint with a broad stroke.
“We had a game where we’re up seven against Seton Hall in the last four minutes. We didn’t win. In our last game, Providence, was close the last four minutes and went to overtime. Villanova game was close. Xavier. So they’re different games.
“I think in a game like tonight, for most of the half Butler had a lead. It felt like if we could string together three stops in a row, then we could take the lead. We did, we got three stops in a row, when they had extended it to eight or nine. We got it back to two, but then down the stretch you got to guard a little better.”
Chase Ross and Adrien Stevens can’t convert clutch plays, but Butler’s Finley Bizjack does
With MU trailing, 75-72, Adrien Stevens and Chase Ross both missed good looks on 3-pointers.
After Ross’ miss, the Bulldogs’ Finley Bizjack had the sequence of the game by driving for a layup, then making a steal and a diving pass that led teammate Jamie Kiser into a layup.
Bizjack finished with 28 points, including 18 in the second half. He knocked down 3 of 4 3-pointers after halftime.
“He cut with more violence than whichever one of our guys was defending him defended him with,” Smart said. “And when you have that advantage, now you’re putting the defense a step behind.
“I think the other thing about his game that is really, really effective is just his ability to use his shot fake. Because now, you try to run him off his 3-point shot, but he’s really, really effective pumping the shot fake.”
MU, on the other hand, was cold from deep all game and shot a season-worst 5 for 27 (18.5%) on 3-pointers.
“It wasn’t our night shooting the ball from 3,” Smart said. “I’m never a coach to write a game off because of poor outside shooting, there’s a lot of other things that are in our control.
“We certainly could have used a couple of those shots. But we’ll take open looks from Chase Ross or Royce Parham or Adrien Stevens. Between those guys, they’ll contine to get those shots.”
Royce Parham and young players learning from close games
Ross and freshman guard Nigel James Jr. led MU with 15 points apiece.
Sophomore forward Royce Parham added 14, but 12 came in the first half. He shot 1 for 5, including 0 for 3 from long range, in the second half.
“He had 13 shots tonight,” Smart said. “I would have loved for him to get 20 shots on a night like tonight. He needs to get shots up, especially around the basket. That will go hand-in-hand with him getting to the foul line.”
Parham, Stevens and James are key players for MU’s future, and they are having to learn through tough moments in a trying season for everyone in the program.
“I feel like all these games are really close,” Parham said. “I feel like every single game we’re in a position to do it.
“It’s just going after that one more notch to get that win at the end of games. Every game we play is basically within one point with four minutes left. It’s just basically staying together and then going after a little more effort.”
The improvement has been there in recent weeks for MU, but it hasn’t quite been enough.
“I think our guys have grown in that way,” Smart said. “I think, No. 1, the way our guys act, interact and respond in the game was not in a good place after 8 or 10 games.
“I think our guys have grown a lot in that area. Obviously not enough to come in here and win. But, for me, the last four or five games, this has been a much more enjoyable team to coach in the game. Because they’ve been more present. Now, again, were we perfect with that? No. Did we have a guy or two that got in a jar mentally because of shooting or other things today? Yes.
“We’ve got a couple older guys in Chase and Ben (Gold) who have been in a lot of wars. There’s a lot asked of them, leadership-wise, and they may or may not be made that way. Then we have a lot of guys out there learning to be more poised. Learning to be more connected with their teammates, which is required.
“We didn’t quite have enough connectivity on the defensive end to win this game. We are improving in that way. There are also all the basketball factors where Butler was just a little better than us.”
Marquette’s starters
Guards: Nigel James Jr., Chase Ross, Adrien Stevens
Forwards: Ben Gold, Royce Parham
Marquette at Butler prediction
The Golden Eagles looked good for the first half at DePaul on Jan. 16. Then Nigel James Jr. turned into a full-fledged superstar against Providence on Jan. 19. So MU has some confidence coming into this one. Can the defense get enough stops against a Butler team that has been inconsistent this season. This could be the game the Golden Eagles break through on the road.
Prediction: MU 81, Butler 77
What channel is Marquette vs Butler on tonight? TV, livestream
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Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Jan. 23
Marquette basketball schedule 2025-26
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette can’t get over hump at Butler and falls, 87-76
Reporting by Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
