Sweet sixteen for UW and Marquette once again

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For the second season in a row the University of Wisconsin and Marquette University men's basketball teams are in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division I Tournament.

It was the usual formula for victory by the Wisconsin Badgers – tough defense and some long-range bombing. Stifling Vanderbilt shooters John Jenkins and Jeffrey Taylor, coach Bo Ryan’s team beat Vandy Saturday night at The Pit in Albuquerque, 60-57. Jenkins and Taylor came in averaging more than 36 points per game, but they could connect on only 7-of-25 shots from the field. Neither team shot very well, but Wisconsin did connect on 10 three-point shots. Jordan Taylor led the Badgers with 14 points and four more teammates were in double figures. It doesn’t get any easier for Wisconsin. They travel to Boston to face Syracuse next Thursday. The Orangemen have the best record among the teams remaining in the tournament. Wisconsin is now 26-9.

Trailing late in their game against Murray State, the Marquette Golden Eagles fashioned another comeback victory, defying the homestate crowd favoring Murray State in Louisville. Jae Crowder scored six points as the Eagles went on a 14-2 run in their 62-53 victory Saturday. Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom led Marquette with 17 points each, with Crowder adding a dozen rebounds. Murray State finishes with a 31-2 record after holding a five-point lead, 46-41, with 7:43 left. The Golden Eagles did it again. They won six games this season after trailing by 11 points or more. They will play the winner of tomorrow’s Norfolk State-Florida game next Thursday in Phoenix.

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, basketball, badgers, marquette