Hayward leads Marquette over Blue Demons
Associated Press
Issue date: 2/1/10 Section: Sports
MILWAUKEE - Lazar Hayward often finds himself as Marquette's coach on the floor. All the Golden Eagles look up to the senior, but sometimes it's important he takes matters into his own hands.
Hayward had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Marquette avenged an earlier loss to DePaul with an 80-69 victory over the Blue Demons on Wednesday night to extend its winning streak to three.
"We've been through some hard-fought battles," Hayward said. "I don't like to say I feel like the old guy, but I kind of am, just because I've been through some stuff."
Darius Johnson-Odom added 21 points and Jimmy Butler 18 for the Golden Eagles (14-8, 5-5 Big East), who didn't trail on Jan. 20 until Mike Stovall's jumper with seven-tenths of a second to play snapped DePaul's 24-game conference losing streak.
That loss is still in Marquette's minds as the Golden Eagles likely will be on the NCAA tournament bubble come selection time. The Golden Eagles have lost their five conference games by a total of 11 points, but the 51-50 loss to DePaul is easily their worst in conference play.
"I know it's going to hurt us a lot as far as tournament time, but if we just fight through these games, get some wins it (won't) take away from us," Johnson-Odom said.
Could that loss keep them out?
"Oh for sure, it's possible," Hayward said. "That's why we made sure we came out tonight and handled our business."
In the rematch, Marquette never trailed, building a double-digit first-half lead and using a 12-0 run early in the second half to open a big advantage.
DePaul (8-14, 1-9) is still searching for its second win under interim coach Tracy Webster, who fell to 1-7 since replacing Jerry Wainwright.
Mac Koshwal led DePaul with 18 points, but the Blue Demons shot 38 percent from the field. Will Walker, who had been averaging 16.3 points, scored 13 on 5-of-20 shooting.
"We knew we were going to get their best punch," Walker said.
Webster thinks it's only a matter of time before DePaul breaks through. He also thinks the Blue Demons are a better team than the one that beat Marquette last month, but DePaul has lost four straight and 37 of the last 40 in Big East play.
Hayward had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Marquette avenged an earlier loss to DePaul with an 80-69 victory over the Blue Demons on Wednesday night to extend its winning streak to three.
"We've been through some hard-fought battles," Hayward said. "I don't like to say I feel like the old guy, but I kind of am, just because I've been through some stuff."
Darius Johnson-Odom added 21 points and Jimmy Butler 18 for the Golden Eagles (14-8, 5-5 Big East), who didn't trail on Jan. 20 until Mike Stovall's jumper with seven-tenths of a second to play snapped DePaul's 24-game conference losing streak.
That loss is still in Marquette's minds as the Golden Eagles likely will be on the NCAA tournament bubble come selection time. The Golden Eagles have lost their five conference games by a total of 11 points, but the 51-50 loss to DePaul is easily their worst in conference play.
"I know it's going to hurt us a lot as far as tournament time, but if we just fight through these games, get some wins it (won't) take away from us," Johnson-Odom said.
Could that loss keep them out?
"Oh for sure, it's possible," Hayward said. "That's why we made sure we came out tonight and handled our business."
In the rematch, Marquette never trailed, building a double-digit first-half lead and using a 12-0 run early in the second half to open a big advantage.
DePaul (8-14, 1-9) is still searching for its second win under interim coach Tracy Webster, who fell to 1-7 since replacing Jerry Wainwright.
Mac Koshwal led DePaul with 18 points, but the Blue Demons shot 38 percent from the field. Will Walker, who had been averaging 16.3 points, scored 13 on 5-of-20 shooting.
"We knew we were going to get their best punch," Walker said.
Webster thinks it's only a matter of time before DePaul breaks through. He also thinks the Blue Demons are a better team than the one that beat Marquette last month, but DePaul has lost four straight and 37 of the last 40 in Big East play.
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