INDIANAPOLIS — Tyler Kolek recorded 21 points, 11 assists five rebounds to lead second-seeded Marquette to an 81-77 victory over 10th-seeded Colorado on Sunday in a South Region second-round game.
David Joplin secured the win by making two free throws with 7.4 seconds remaining to send the Golden Eagles (27-9) to the Sweet 16. Marquette will face No. 11 North Carolina State on Friday in Dallas.
Kam Jones scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half to lead the Golden Eagles to an 11-point lead at halftime.
Tristan da Silva’s 3-pointer from the top of the circle tied the game for Colorado at 74-74 with 4:02 remaining.
Coming out of a timeout, Chase Ross hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to give Marquette the lead before KJ Simpson answered to draw the Buffs within one.
Kolek drove the paint with a one-handed floater to give the Golden Eagles a 79-76 left. Cody Williams had a chance to bring Colorado back within one with 21.2 seconds left but converted only the back end of two free throws.
Simpson, who won Friday’s game with a buzzer-beating sideline jumper, led Colorado (26-11) with 20 points. da Silva added 17 for the Buffaloes, who fell just short of reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1969.
Marquette raced out to a 22-11 lead thanks to red-hot shooting. The Golden Eagles sank 16 of 21 shots from the field to start the game and ended the half 19 of 28 from the floor.
The Golden Eagles hit their first 12 attempts from inside the arc and finished the first half 13-of-15 from 2-point range.
Jones led the way with 16 points in the first half, shooting 6-of-9, including four 3-pointers.
But Marquette ended the half on an 8-2 run on baskets by four different players and led 45-34 at the break.
The Buffs picked up momentum in the opening minute of the second half as Jones committed his third personal foul. Colorado went on a 21-9 run to take its only lead at 55-54 on Simpson’s fourth 3-pointer.
–Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media