Marquette is battle tested

Marquette blew a ten point halftime lead to St. John's, but thanks to a David Cubillan three with a minute left and a turnover forced by Lazar Hayward with 38 ticks left, and the Golden Eagles escaped with a two point win over the Johnnies.

The win came just two weeks after Jimmy Butler hit a fadeaway at the buzzer in overtime to beat St. John's in Carnesecca Arena.

Marquette advances to face Villanova, who has beaten Marquette by two in both of their previous matchups this year.

You see the theme there?

Lazar Hayward had 20 and 9 to lead Marquette.
(photo credit: NYT)

There isn't a more battle-tested team in the Big East than Marquette. 12 of their 19 Big East games this year, including today's win, have been decided by three points or less. Four of their last five coming into the Big East tournament went to overtime. Their ten losses this season have come by a combined 35 points, with the most lopsided defeat coming at Wisconsin by nine points.

In other words, if you play Marquette, be prepared for a dogfight.

Marquette's ability to win those dogfights is what has them on the verge of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Things weren't always looking this good for the Golden Eagles.

Rewind to January 23rd. Marquette had just lost at Syracuse by five, dropping them to 11-8 overall and 2-5 in the Big East. Many were calling them this year's hard luck losers, most had written them off as a potential tournament team.

When the team got back to Milwaukee after the game, Buzz Williams met with his players on the team plane.

"I told these guys 'We're counted for dead'", Marquette head coach Buzz Williams said while addressing reporters after today's win. "'Nobody believes in you. Only the people that are on this plane are the ones that care and that genuinely believe that we have a chance.'"

They responded by winning nine of their last eleven games in the regular season, earning the five seed and a first round bye in the Big East tournament, quite an improvement from the start of the season.

You see, winning close games is a skill. Its a learned ability, equivalent to the ability of a team to execute offensively or to perfect help side rotations. And early in the season, Marquette did not know how to win. You can't really blame them. After losing Jerel McNeal, Dominic James, and Wesley Matthews -- three guys who dominated back court minutes last season -- Williams was left with a group of inexperienced players; kids that hadn't been in a late game situation before.

It was evident early on. Missed free throws late cost Marquette an early season win at West Virginia. Jumping on a pump fake allowed Scottie Reynolds to hit a game winner their next time out. At DePaul a month later, it was once again missed free throws down the stretch that afforded Mike Stovall an opportunity to hit a game-winner. And those are just a few examples.

But as the saying goes, you learn from experience, and the late-game experience that Marquette gathered early in the season is paying off.

Watching Marquette today, one thing was evident -- even in a close game down the stretch, it was clear this team thought they were going to win. After David Cubillan hit that three to take a 55-53 lead, he didn't turn and scream at the crowd. He didn't pound his chest. It was a subtle fist-pump and head-nod, as if he knew he was going to make the shot.

He wasn't the only one.

"I trust Cuby like I trust my wife", Williams said. "I want him out on the court. Not so he can make the big three, but because I know if he [is able] to make a big three, he will make a big three."

"Our team expects the same from each person because we all know what each person can do."

I think we can agree on one thing.

Whatever high seed draws Marquette in their region is probably not going to be excited about it.