“This is a big game today,” one fan shared during pregame warmups. “The team needs to prove itself, not so much to we fans, but to itself.” A win against the Marquette Golden Eagles in third place in the Big East would accomplish the self-confidence the team so needed.
That win did not happen, but there were promising signs, and a worrying finish.
First Half
Bad news from the outset: Andre Curbelo was suspended for an unknown reason.