INDIANAPOLIS – The crowd turned out despite the bitter cold. Butler was a three-point favorite, having never lost to Marquette here in Big East basketball. Hinkle Fieldhouse was ready for more magic.
None was forthcoming.
Markus Howard scored 19 of his 32 points in the first half, and No. 9 Marquette shot 57 percent in dispatching the Bulldogs 76-58 Wednesday night.
Marquette (19-3, 8-1) extended its winning streak to eight and won at Butler for the first time since 1990, when both belonged to the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.
The last-place Bulldogs (12-10, 3-6) lost their third straight, finished January with a 3-6 record and are 5-8 since mid-December.