Dent scores 21 points to lead New Mexico over Marquette

CLEVELAND -- — Donovan Dent scored 21 points and No. 10 seed New Mexico took control late in the second half to defeat seventh-seeded Marquette 75-66 on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Richard Pitino joined his father in the second round after New Mexico (27-7) snapped a four-game NCAA Tournament losing streak and won its first game since 2012. Rick Pitino has No. 2 seed St. John's playing its next game Saturday against Arkansas.

It is the second time the Pitinos have had teams in the 68-team field in the same year, but the first time both have won their first-round games.

Dent, the Mountain West Player of the Year, had six points in the first half but found his rhythm in the second half. He had four points during a 10-0 Lobos run that broke open the game.

“I just thought at the end of the game, we buckled down and got stops. We stopped turning the ball over,” Pitino said. "I thought the other guys, their spacing allowed Donovan to get going a little bit more. We slipped some stuff, got him downhill, and he was terrific.”

Nelly Junior Joseph added 19 points for New Mexico, which will play second-seeded Michigan State or 15 seed Bryant on Sunday in the second round of the South Region.

Joseph made a layup with 6:17 remaining that put the Lobos up 59-58. The second half went back-and-forth with three ties and eight lead changes before New Mexico took control.

“I thought they won the battle of poise. They were the more poised team over the majority of the game,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said. “When we took the lead in the second half, we could really feel a level of momentum that we had going. But we just weren’t able to win that next swing minute, which matters so much, and just some mistakes that cost us on both ends of the floor.”

David Joplin led Marquette (23-11) with 28 points, including six 3-pointers. Kam Jones added 15 points.

Joplin bounced back after going 1 for 7 from beyond the arc in the Big East Tournament semifinal game against St. John’s. In the three games previous to that, he was 9 of 17 on 3-pointers.

Jones, an AP All-America second-team selection for the Golden Eagles after being third in the Big East in scoring at 18.9 points per game, missed five of his first six shots and had only four points in the first half.

The senior guard fought back tears during the postgame interview in what was his final game in a Marquette uniform.

“No other group I’d rather play with. I love these guys to death, and I hate it ended this way,” he said as Joplin put an arm on his shoulder to console him.

Takeaways

New Mexico: It is the first time since 1999 that the Lobos have won a first-round game as the lower seed.

Marquette: The Golden Eagles made the Sweet 16 last year but went one-and-done this time. They are 1/3 in the tournament as the seventh seed.

Key stat

New Mexico had a 38-26 advantage in points in the paint. Smart pointed to the 12-point difference as the biggest factor in the game.

“They scored way more around the basket than we did and, in the paint, made better decisions in there. Because of that, got to the foul line more,” he said. “Not enough of an ability to say, ‘You know what, you guys are really good getting in the paint. We’re not going to let you in there.’ It’s easier said than done, but you’ve got to give New Mexico a lot of credit.”

Up next

The Lobos will be looking to reach a regional semifinal for the first time since 1974 on Sunday.

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