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Marquette handles Cincinnati

Feb 12, 2012 - 12:43 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder each scored 23 points, as the 18th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles dominated the Cincinnati Bearcats, 95-78.

Jamil Wilson and Vander Blue added 15 and 14 points, respectively, for the Golden Eagles (21-5, 10-3 Big East), who have won two in a row since a loss to Notre Dame on February 4.

"Our defense does create offense for us when we're flowing pretty good," Marquette head coach Buzz Williams said. "We can't win any other way."

Dion Dixon and Jaquon Parker had 15 points apiece for the Bearcats (17-8, 7-5), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Yancy Gates had a double- double with 11 points and 12 boards.

The Bearcats actually started the game on a 16-4 run, and held a 21-12 edge with 11 1/2 minutes left in the half.

But an 18-4 Marquette run put the home team in front for good. Crowder and Johnson-Odom bookended the burst with a pair of three-pointers to make it a 30-25 game with over seven minutes remaining.

Moments later, Jamail Jones made two three-pointers and Blue recorded a tip-in to give the Golden Eagles a 40-30 lead. Marquette scored the final seven points of the frame to take a 47-35 margin into the locker room.

Gates' layup cut the gap to 62-53 with over 12 minutes to play, but the home team scored the next six points to essentially put the game away.

"We weren't ready for their intensity level," Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said.

Game Notes

Cincinnati owns a 25-19 lead in the all-time series with Marquette...The Golden Eagles improved to 13-1 at home this season...Marquette shot 56.7 percent from the field, while the Bearcats shot 43.3 percent from the floor...Cincinnati had 14 turnovers, leading to 25 Marquette points.