MU goes over 90 points for 4th straight game - this time against 5th best scoring defense in country

Something had to give with Marquette scoring 95.0 a game (2nd scoring offense in country) and Mississippi giving up 45.3 points per game (5th scoring defense in country).

Top Defenses	Pts All	Top Offenses	Pts Scored
Wisconsin	35.0	Memphis	97.0
St. Louis	39.5	Marquette	95.0
St. Marys	41.0	Iowa	93.0
Virginia	44.5	Texas	92.3
Mississippi	45.3	Iona	92.0
Norfolk St (since MU)	50.6

The answer came fast - as Marquette shredded Mississippi's defense for more than their 45.3 average IN THE FIRST 17 1/2 MINUTES OF THE GAME. How did MU do that without letting one of the best shotblocking teams in the country block a single shot during those 17 1/2 minutes?

Look at Junior Cadougan's 6 assists - as he has helped MU become the top assist team in the country - and look at Vander Blue's 4 steals. MU came into the game with an incredible 59 points off of 36 steals, and scored 12 quick fast break points off of rebounds en route to a 40-12 lead. Mississippi never threatened after that, with the game ending 96-66. MU is now scoring 1.52 points per trip after they steal the ball, compared to an already excellent 1.21 points per trip on all other trips (1.0 is the national average).

	Steals	Points	Ave.	Other Poss.	Points	Ave.
Mount	19	33	1.74	53	58	1.09
Norfolk	11	17	1.55	73	82	1.12
Winthrop	6	9	1.50	67	86	1.28
Miss	8	8	1.00	67	88	1.31
Total	44	67	1.52	260	314	1.21

Marquette now faces a Norfolk State team that they already scored 99 points against this season, for the Paradise Jam championship tonight at 7:30 p.m. CST. Except for that game, Norfolk State would have the 10th best scoring defense in the country due to shutting down both TCU and the favorite to win the CAA conference over VCU, ODU and George Mason.

So while Jae Crowder's seven for seven start shooting en route to 25 points, and DJOs 20 led the scoring again, Marquette is blowing teams out by transition from defense to offense.

However, Marquette also showed they can use their passing in half court games with the re-emergence of Davante Gardner, who scored 15 POINTS in 14 MINUTES, including 9 for 9 from the line. Gardner was not as key in the first three games because MU was running up and down the court - but he was still 8 of 10 from the floor in those three games, so MU has a key option if someone can slow them into a half court game.

As you can see from the table below, 29 of the 44 times Marquette has stolen the ball this year they have either scored on a dunk or lay-up, or been fouled almost immediately or at the rim. A few other times they settled for open treys.

Steal by	Points	Opponent	At the rim?
Blue	2	Mount	fouled immediately
Wilson, J	0	Mount
Crowder	2	Mount	layup
Blue	2	Mount	foul 8 seconds later
Blue	2	Mount	layup
Wilson, D	2	Mount	fouled immediately (intentional)
Crowder	0	Mount
Jones	2	Mount	dunk
Gardner	2	Mount
Cadougan	2	Mount	fouled in 9 seconds
DJO	2	Mount	dunk
DJO	2	Mount	dunk
Cadougan	0	Mount
Crowder	2	Mount	layup
DJO	2	Mount	layup
Crowder	2	Mount	layup
Jones	3	Mount	Mayo and 1
Blue	2	Mount
Wilson, J	2	Mount	layup
Jones, J	0	Norfolk
Crowder	0	Norfolk
Cadougan	0	Norfolk
Crowder	3	Norfolk
DJO	2	Norfolk	layup
Wilson	2	Norfolk	layup
Wilson, J	2	Norfolk	foul 7 seconds later
Crowder	0	Norfolk
Otule	2	Norfolk	foul 4 seconds later
DJO	3	Norfolk
Mayo	3	Norfolk
Crowder	1	Winthrop	fouled 4 seconds later
Blue	2	Winthrop	dunk
DJO	0	Winthrop	fouled 1 second later
DJO	2	Winthrop	dunk
Wilson, J	2	Winthrop	layup
Gardner	2	Winthrop	layup
Otule	0	Mississippi
Blue	0	Mississippi	dunk
Blue	2	Mississippi	dunk
Blue	1	Mississippi	foul 3 seconds later
Otule	2	Mississippi	foul 3 seconds later
Blue	1	Mississippi	foul 3 seconds later
Mayo	2	Mississippi
Jones	0	Mississippi
Total	1.52	Ave per steal	17 dunks/layups, 12 quick fouls