ESPN.com · Mar 12, 2023
No. 6 Marquette routs Xavier to win first Big East title
NEW YORK -- The final night of the Big East Tournament never sounded like this before.
Tyler Kolek and No. 6 Marquette raced out to a hefty lead and didn't look back, beating No. 15 Xavier 65-51 on Saturday to win its first Big East championship after 18 seasons in the conference.
As the clock wound down on a dominant performance by a storied program that had been longing for an elusive title, chants of "We are, Mar-quette!" echoed through Madison Square Garden.
"Marquette is a special place that has had a special basketball program for a long, long time," coach Shaka Smart said as he accepted the trophy. "We're so proud to bring a championship back to Milwaukee."
