USF topples No. 8 Marquette
TAMPA (AP) – Jesus Verdejo scored 21 points and Dominique Jones made a driving layup to put South Florida ahead with 15.9 seconds to go, and the Bulls held on Friday night for a 57-56 victory over No. 8 Marquette.
USF’s first win over an opponent ranked in the top 10 snapped Marquette’s 12-game winning streak and left the Big East without an unbeaten team in conference play. The Bulls (8-14, 3-7) led by as many as 10, but needed nine points from Verdejo in a five-minute span of the second half to keep the Eagles (20-3, 9-1) from taking over the game.
Marquette’s Wesley Matthews missed a six-footer and Lazar Hayward’s putback rolled off the rim as time expired, dropping the Eagles into second in the Big East behind No. 1 Connecticut.
Jerel McNeal led Marquette with 22 points before fouling out in the final minute. Dominic James and Matthews had 11 apiece.