It’s the three-to-four minute lapses that have buried the Marquette men’s basketball team in its recent losses.
It happened again on Feb. 18, when the Golden Eagles put themselves in position to put a scare into St. John’s, one of the hottest teams in the country.
The Red Storm pulled away for a 76-70 victory at Fiserv Forum, taking advantage of a few offensive droughts by MU late in the second half.
St. John’s (21-5, 14-1 Big East) has won 12 straight games, the fourth-longest winning streak in the nation, and is in position to win its second straight conference title.
BOX SCORE: St. John’s 76, Marquette 70
The Golden Eagles (9-18, 4-12) continue to suffer through the growing pains that come with leaning into their young players down the stretch this season.
“We played hard, we fought,” MU freshman guard Nigel James Jr. said. “At the end of the day, I live and die with my brothers.
“I trust them to shoot the ball. I trust myself. They trust me. Nobody points the finger at all. It’s a team thing that we lost.”
Nigel James Jr.’s big second half sparks MU
MU went into halftime trailing, 44-35, and it seemed like the Golden Eagles weren’t going to hang with the Red Storm, which is ranked 16th in the USA TODAY coaches poll and No. 17 by the Associated Press.
But MU opened the second half with six straight defensive stops, igniting an 11-0 run.
“We just decided coming into halftime that we needed to bring our defensive identity out,” James said.
The Golden Eagles took a 56-50 lead when James hit a highlight-reel layup in the paint with 11:55 remaining. But MU committed two turnovers and missed two shots on its next four possessions to allow St. John’s to score nine unanswered points.
James hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 59-59, but the Golden Eagles went through a 1-for-9 shooting slump that allowed the Red Storm to grab control.
There was a brief flicker of hope when James had a 3-point play to get MU within 72-70 with 27 seconds left, but the Red Storm’s Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins made their free throws to salt away the win.
“We get in the paint and we get shots in the paint as much as anybody,” MU head coach Shaka Smart said. “I mean, statistically, we are the top 5 for 6 in the country.
“But, honestly, some of those shots we need to pass up when there are multiple guys, especially a team like St. John’s that is active and athletic. What you got to do there is get to two feet, show the ball, find an opponent. Which there were open guys. But it’s hard because it’s happening very, very fast.”
James continues to be the fulcrum of MU’s offense, scoring 18 of his 25 points in the second half.
“There is a mental clarity that he has and, honestly, a connection with what we’re trying to go do as a team,” Smart said. “There’s no cloudiness or clutter in his mind, which allows him to play in complete attack mode.
“It’s exciting because there is incredible room for growth with him in a lot of ways. He’s got the ball in his hands so much. I think he’s in the top 1% in the country for usage, meaning that there’s a lot of times where the possession ends with a shot, an assist or a turnover from him.
“A lot of times good things are happening when that occurs. Just got to keep getting better at making some of those rim decisions.”
Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor are a load to handle
St. John’s big man Ejiofor has been a pain in MU’s side for several seasons. So has Hopkins, with both Providence and now St. John’s.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Hopkins finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-9, 245-pound Ejiofor had three offensive boards and three blocks.
“Zuby has incredible competitive stamina,” Smart said. “So as the game wore on, he was able to get a few opportunities around the basket that he cashed in on.
“Hopkins, the guy was a monster against us three years ago at Providence (29 points and 23 rebounds). Guys don’t get worse. He’s old and he’s smart. He picks his spots. He did a heck of a job getting to the foul line.
“(MU forward) Royce (Parham)’s foul trouble hurt him in terms of being aggressive as you want to be. But as a team you need to find a way to win anyway. We just didn’t quite have enough. This is the first-place team in our league.
“I thought our guys did a good job going toe-to-toe with them for a while. But you got to step forward.”
Marquette probable starters
Guards: Nigel James Jr., Adrien Stevens, Chase Ross
Forwards: Ben Gold, Royce Parham
Marquette vs St. John’s prediction
The Golden Eagles’ last five losses have been close games down the stretch. This one probably won’t be. St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor is the exact kind of rugged inside presence that gives MU trouble, and Ejiofor has for three seasons. He’ll have another big game here.
Prediction: St. John’s 83, MU 68
What channel is Marquette vs St. John’s on tonight? TV, livestream
Marquette vs St. John’s start time
Marquette vs St. John’s odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Feb. 17
Marquette basketball schedule 2025-26
Here are the next five games for the Golden Eagles (all times Central):
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nigel James Jr. can’t help Marquette finish rally against St. John’s
Reporting by Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
