Villanova’s March Madness Hopes Plummet after loss to #10 Marquette | Villanova vs. Marquette Recap

MILWAUKEE, WI—In the Wildcats’ toughest game of the season, they could not solve Marquette’s elite defense. Marquette (17-3, 8-1 Big East) beat Villanova (12-9, 5-5) for the eighth consecutive time on Friday. Villanova also lost its fourth contest in the last five games.

Marquette defeated Villanova, 87-74, on Friday night at the Fiserv Forum. Jordan Longino scored a career-high 27 points against the Golden Eagles. Eric Dixon was seven-for-16 from the field with 18 points and nine rebounds. Villanova converted 42% of its field goals and 34.5% of its three-point attempts.

Villanova’s head coach, Kyle Neptune, talked about Longino’s performance in his postgame press conference.

“He’s a player that those who have been around our program know he’s a high-level talent,” Neptune said. “He’s a guy that can make shots and defend multiple positions. He’s done well offensively for us in Big East play. He’s been a great defender throughout his entire career.”

Marquette’s Stevie Mitchell, a senior from Reading, PA, tied his season high with 21 points. Chase Ross accumulated 18 points and four rebounds. Kam Jones, the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer, was six-for-14 from the field with 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists. The Golden Eagles made 47% of their field goals. They were nine-for-30 (30%) from behind the arc.

Villanova slightly won the rebounding battle, 36-34. The Wildcats finished the contest with 11 offensive rebounds. However, Villanova’s turnovers, poor offensive execution, and paint defense led to the lackluster performance in Wisconsin.

After committing 16 turnovers against Georgetown, Villanova allowed 13 turnovers against Marquette. The Golden Eagles took advantage of the Wildcats’ mistakes with 16 points off turnovers.

The Wildcats’ defense forced only six turnovers against Marquette.

Despite the loss, Villanova did not shoot poorly against Marquette. However, most of the Wildcats’ scoring came in the second half when the Golden Eagles had already built a solid advantage. Villanova scored only 26 points in the first half.

Villanova accumulated 48 points in the final twenty minutes, but the Wildcats’ defense could not stop the Golden Eagles’ offense. They allowed 51 points to Marquette in the second half.

Key Takeaways

Longino and Dixon Lead the Way Again

Like against Georgetown, Jordan Longino and Eric Dixon scored most of the points against Marquette on Friday night. Longino and Dixon combined for 45 of the Wildcats’ 74 points. They were a combined 15-for-35 (43%) from the field and five-for-14 (36%) from behind the arc.

Dixon Plays 33 Minutes + Early Foul Trouble

Dixon played 33 minutes against Marquette. It was the first time Dixon has played less than 37 minutes since January 4th against DePaul.

Dixon picked up two fouls in the first half. He sat on the bench for most of the final five minutes of the first half. Dixon appeared to make a couple of attempts to enter the game, but Coach Neptune called him back. Dixon only scored three points in the first twenty minutes.

Coach Neptune was asked if he considered putting Dixon back in the game with two fouls in the first half.

“No,” Neptune said. “I thought we were right there. Didn’t want him to get a third [foul].”

Perkins had his best game in the last month

Jhamir Brickus added 12 points with four threes. Tyler Perkins, a sophomore transfer from the University of Pennsylvania, had his best game in the last month with seven points. Perkins started in place of Wooga Poplar. Poplar, who was ejected on Monday night against Georgetown, came off the bench in Milwaukee. He was two-for-five from the field for eight points in 27 minutes.

Marquette outscored Villanova, 38-20, in the paint. The Golden Eagles also finished the game with 16 fast break points compared to the Wildcats’ three fast break points.

The Wildcats’ Road Struggles Continue

Villanova lost its fifth road game of the season in Wisconsin. The Wildcats have only won one road contest against Butler on January 1st. Opponents have outscored Villanova, 470-433, on the road in 2024-25. Villanova’s defense has allowed 78.3 points per game on the road.

Villanova’s March Madness Chances + The Road Ahead

With nine losses, including five in conference play, Villanova’s March Madness chances most likely ended on Friday in Milwaukee. The Wildcats will look to begin February with a win. They will battle Creighton (13-6, 6-2) at the Wells Fargo Center on February 1st at 1 p.m.