Marquette Golden Eagles face NC State Wolfpack in Sweet 16
DALLAS - No. 8 Marquette takes on NC State in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Eagles' record in Big East games is 16-7, and their record is 11-2 in non-conference play. Marquette ranks fourth in the Big East with 16.1 assists per game led by Tyler Kolek averaging 7.9.
The Wolfpack are 14-11 in ACC play. NC State is 2-1 in games decided by less than 4 points.
Marquette makes 48.2% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than NC State has allowed to its opponents (44.0%). NC State averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 fewer made shots on average than the 8.4 per game Marquette allows.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 24: Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek (11) and Marquette Golden Eagles forward David Joplin (23) celebrate after the Marquette Golden Eagles versus the Colorado Buffaloes in the second round of the NCAA Division 1 Cha
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TOP PERFORMERS: Kam Jones is shooting 50.3% and averaging 17.1 points for the Golden Eagles. David Joplin is averaging 12.3 points over the last 10 games.
DJ Horne is shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc with 2.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Wolfpack, while averaging 16.7 points. D.J. Burns is shooting 59.3% and averaging 15.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Eagles: 7-3, averaging 78.2 points, 32.2 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.8 points per game.
Wolfpack: 7-3, averaging 77.4 points, 34.8 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 6.6 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.9 points.
Team notes
Marquette owns a 75-29 record under coach Shaka Smart despite posting a negative rebound margin in each of his three seasons. The Golden Eagles have been outrebounded in each of their last eight games but have gone 5-3. They’re getting outrebounded by 3 boards per game this season.
The only other Sweet 16 team with a negative rebound margin is North Carolina State (minus-0.8), which faces Marquette on Friday.
As for North Carolina State, Mohamed Diarra has 6.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game this season, but he’s averaged 11.7 points and 13.5 rebounds over his last six. Michael O’Connell scored in double digits three times and totaled 14 3-point baskets in 31 regular-season games. He’s reached double figures in six of seven postseason games and has gone 12 of 22 from 3-point range during that stretch.