By CHARLIE PARENT
Marquette is the outright Big East champion for the first time in program history.
The No. 6 Golden Eagles defeated Butler 72-56 on Tuesday night to clinch the title.
The Golden Eagles (24-6, 15-3 Big East), who were picked 9th in the preseason Big East standings, clinched their first Big East title since they shared it with Villanova in 2013.
“I’m just really, really grateful to be part of Marquette and to be at a place that has such a passion for basketball,” potential National Coach of the Year Shaka Smart said postgame.
“I want to say on behalf of our entire team an incredible thank you,” Smart said. “To our fans, our students, to everyone that supported us tonight and was a huge domino to our team.”
Big East Player of the Year hopeful Tyler Kolek starred once again in Tuesday’s conference-clinching win, posting a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists. The third-year guard is second in the nation with 7.8 assists per game.
Marquette will play the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 seed in the Big East tournament next Thursday at Madison Square Garden. If the season ended today that matchup would between No. 8 St. Johns or No. 9 Butler.
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