On a day honoring Marquette’s and the BIG EAST’s all-time leading scorer — Markus Howard — another All-American candidate stole the show. Or at least his team stole the game.
Seton Hall senior guard Myles Powell scored 28 points and dished five assists in the No. 13 Pirates’ 88-79 win Saturday at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
“If Seton Hall plays like that, everybody watch out,” Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski said. “They were terrific, and they had answers for everything we did. … I’m not sure if there’s anybody in the country that would’ve beat them today.”
It’s Powell’s fourth consecutive 20-plus point performance against the Golden Eagles. He had five 3-pointers, which Wojciechowski said “were over the top of outstretched arms.”
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard especially praised Powell’s “hockey assists” that aren’t assists in the box score but are “leading to the next guy being wide open.”
MU stormed back with an 11-0 run late in the second half to cut Seton Hall’s lead to five points, but Seton Hall hit enough free throws to escape with a win.
Howard certainly did not have a disappointing day. He scored 37 points on 12-for-20 shooting and was responsible for the team's first 12 points. He did so despite running into foul trouble in the first half.
“Without his 37 points, we don’t have a chance — a fighting, slim chance — at the end there,” Wojciechowski said.
Yet Willard’s squad stifled the rest of the Marquette offense. Outside of Howard, the team shot 36 percent.
Willard said the staff acknowledged that Howard “is going to get what he is going to get.” They instead emphasized stopping everyone else.
“That’s always been our game plan,” Willard said.
Meanwhile, Powell had plenty of support offensively. Seton Hall junior forward Sandro Mamukelashvili scored a career-high 26 points and had nine rebounds.
“He played like an NBA player tonight,” Wojciechowski said. “That’s like the prototypical NBA stretch-four. He was playing in an NBA arena. Unfortunately, he was playing against a college team.”
As a team, Seton Hall shot 53 percent. All eight Seton Hall players to earn minutes scored.
“Everything they threw up seemingly went in,” Wojciechowski said. “We ran into a buzzsaw.”
Barring a rematch in the BIG EAST Tournament, it will be the last time the two star guards square off on the collegiate stage. Howard described it as bittersweet.
“You love to compete against a guy like that because he does nothing but raise your level of play,” Howard said. “But at the same time, he’s one of those guys that is so tough to play against.”
Powell described getting to play Howard, who also was born in New Jersey, though grew up in Arizona, “a dream come true.”
“We’ve watched each other grow,” Powell said. “If there’s anybody in the league I’d compare myself to, it is him.”
They’ve grown close off the court. If Howard has a great game, he can expect a text message from Powell. If Powell has a great game, he can expect a text message from Howard.
“Not many people realize we’re each other’s biggest fans,” Howard told FOX Sports. “That’s kind of what makes our relationship unique.”
When Powell sprained his ankle in November, Howard was one of the first people to reach out with prayers.
“That’s when I really knew you were my brother past basketball,” Powell told Howard in the FOX Sports feature.
The two have bonded over similar experiences as star players in the BIG EAST.
“We pretty much go through the same thing night in, night out,” Powell said. “Seeing a double-team, having to take the last shot, so we’ve grown.”
Powell will trash talk other players in the BIG EAST, but not Howard, he told NJ.com. But many conversations, which happen at least once a week, go beyond basketball and often include faith and family.
Prior to Saturday’s matchup, the all-time series between Powell and Howard was tied at 4-4. Now Powell will have the tiebreaker.
“I would’ve paid a ticket to watch these two kids play today,” Willard said.
It also marks the final game at Fiserv Forum for Markus Howard. As Howard exits Fiserv Forum Saturday, he’s the BIG EAST’s all-time leading scorer and holds the conference record for points in a game.
“What he’s done as a basketball player is historic,” Wojciechowski said. “That alone in itself would make coaching him fun, but he’s been a world-class kid. … Markus took a chance on us before there was maybe a road map.”
There is still some competition ahead for Howard and Powell away from the hardwood. The two are frontrunners for BIG EAST Player of the Year, All-American honors and other national awards.
Powell’s message to Howard, though, focuses away from the hardwood.
“I told him that he has a brother for life in me,” Powell said.
UP NEXT:
Marquette (18-10, 8-8 BIG EAST) will travel to DePaul Wednesday and St. John’s Saturday.
Seton Hall (21-7, 13-3 BIG EAST) will return to the Prudential Center to take on No. 12 Villanova before ending the season against Creighton in Omaha.