MILWAUKEE – For a game that should have featured two desperate teams Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum, only one team appeared to play with any desperation and it wasn't Xavier.
Marquette, which never trailed, was the tougher team and it showed in the final score, 85-65, but it also showed in basically every important statistical category.
And many of the most important stats – like rebounding and fast-break points – are effort based.
Marquette dominated Xavier on the glass (46-30) with 15 offensive rebounds. The Golden Eagles also scored 25 fast-break points, and if that wasn't enough, the Musketeers didn't have an answer for Marquette senior Markus Howard, who was far and away the best player on the floor with 35 points.