It seemed that Marquette had learned its lesson.
The Golden Eagles led for most of Friday night’s clash against Pittsburgh. They were locked in defensively and showed balance on offense. They were sharing the ball, spreading the floor, and when threes weren’t falling, they found other ways to score inside—all things they struggled to do in the 2K Classic opener against Michigan.
Unfortunately for Marquette, it was unable to maintain the great play it demonstrated in the first half. Behind the play of seniors Michael Young and Jamel Artis, Pittsburgh was able to settle in and dominate the second half to win 78-75, as the Golden Eagles went ice cold thanks to a reinvigorated Panther effort on both ends of the court.