March 4, 2006

PC vs. Marquette Box Score in PDF Format
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Final Stats

MILWAUKEE (AP) - After a quiet first half in his final home game, senior sharpshooter Steve Novak scored 17 second-half points as Marquette beat Providence 88-78 Saturday.

Novak hit three 3-pointers and added a jump shot in a span of less than five minutes, propelling a 16-6 second-half run that proved decisive for Marquette (20-9, 10-6).

Novak finished with 20 points to lead the Golden Eagles.

A 6-2 run early in the second half allowed Providence to draw within 5, 44-39.

But Novak hit his first 3-pointer of the half with 14:37 remaining, spurring Marquette's decisive run.

Novak wasn't a one-man show during the run - the Golden Eagles got a jump shot from Jerel McNeal and a putback and free throw from Dominic James - but he came close.

Novak's jump shot put the Golden Eagles ahead 51-43, his second 3-pointer of the half put the Golden Eagles ahead 57-43 and his third 3-pointer of the half put Marquette ahead 60-45 with 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Randall Hanke scored 23 to lead the Friars (12-15, 5-11), who have lost five of their last six games. Hanke also had 15 rebounds. Donnie McGrath added 18, and Geoff McDermott had 14 points and 16 rebounds.

Marquette led by as many as 13 in the first half and went into halftime with a 37-28 lead. Matthews, a freshman guard, led the Golden Eagles with 12 first-half points.