Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored a game-high 25 points to lead Marquette to 90-78 victory over NC Central on Tuesday in Milwaukee.
Prosper shot 11 of 14 from the field, including 1 of 2 from 3-point range, and grabbed four rebounds, while Kam Jones added 16 points, four rebounds and three assists. Oso Ighodaro chipped in 10 points by going a perfect 5 of 5 from the field to go along with seven assists and four rebounds.
The Golden Eagles (7-3) shot 36 of 57 (63.2 percent) from the field, including 9 of 23 (39.1 percent) from 3-point range.
NC Central (5-5) was led by Justin Wright’s 18 points, four rebounds and two assists, while Brendan Medley-Bacon added 16 points by going 5 of 5 from the field and grabbing seven rebounds. Kris Monroe chipped in 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds, with Ja’Darius Harris finishing with nine points.
The Eagles shot 29 of 63 (46 percent) from the field, including 9 of 20 (45 percent) from beyond the arc, in addition to outrebounding Marquette 34-27.
After NC Central pulled to within 74-59 on Fred Cleveland Jr.’s layup with 10:18 left, Marquette countered with a 9-3 run capped by Prosper’s layup for an 83-62 lead with 6:38 to go.
Marquette scored the game’s first nine points and led 27-11 following David Joplin’s 3-pointer with 11:40 remaining in the first half en route to a 52-29 halftime advantage.
Prosper scored 14 points and Kam and Sean Jones added eight points apiece through the first 20 minutes for Marquette, which shot a scorching 22 of 29 (75.9 percent) from the field, including a red-hot 7 of 10 (70 percent) from beyond the arc.
NC Central was led by Medley-Bacon, Harris and Devin Butts, who scored six points apiece.
The Eagles shot 12 of 34 (35.3 percent) from the field, including 3 of 8 (37.5 percent) from distance.
–Field Level Media