Marquette Dominates Miami, Heads To 2013 NCAA Tournament’s ‘Elite Eight’

Marquette dominated the Miami Hurricanes and a team that had to use last second drama to win both of their first two games is headed to the Elite Eight. While the Golden Eagles weren’t a huge underdog, the game was yet another example of a lower seed knocking off a supposed powerhouse higher seed.

The Golden Eagles managed to get this particular victory by playing some great defense. In the first half, the Big East school was able to hold Miami to just 16 points. While the Hurricanes did manage to ramp up their offense in the second half, they couldn’t stop the Eagles from scoring more as well.

Vander Blue, who been the leader of the team through most of the tournament actually didn’t lead the team in scoring yet again. While Blue didn’t score the 29 points he did against Butler, his 14 points were more than enough to help sink the Hurricanes.

Blue was joined by Davante Gardner who also had 14 points. Gardner was having a rather quiet tournament until tonight’s game. Jamil Wilson was the leading scorer with 16 points thanks to hitting three of four three-point shots.

Marquette has been knocked out of the tournament in the Sweet Sixteen the last two times they’ve made the Big Dance. They’ve been dispatched in this round in four of the last five visits.

Miami was looking to make the Elite Eight for the first time in 13 years. The last time they got past the Sweet Sixteen was in 2000. The loss ends what has been a dream season for the Hurricanes who dominated the ACC with a 15-3 conference record.

That earned them a number two seed in the tourney and got them being picked as a darkhorse to make at least the Final Four by most experts.

Marquette will next take on the winner of the contest between Syracuse and Indiana on Saturday.