Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) – Jae Crowder scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds while Darius Johnson-Odom added 17 points as Marquette toppled ninth-ranked Syracuse, 76-70, at the Bradley Center.
Jimmy Butler scored 19 points, including two big three-pointers down the stretch, and pulled down eight boards for the Golden Eagles (14-8. 5-4 Big East), who defeated Syracuse for the first time in six tries since joining the Big East.
Kris Joseph scored 18 points while Scoop Jardine supplied 13 points and 13 assists for the Orange (18-4, 5-4), who have lost four straight for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
The Syracuse Orange are on the road today for a critical Big East Conference game against the Marquette Golden Eagles. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. ET (ESPNU).
Syracuse, once 18-0, has lost three straight games. Following today's meeting with 13-8 Marquette, the Orange are on the road Wednesday vs. Connecticut, ranked fifth in the country. Carrying a four-game losing streak into Connecticut to face the Huskies is an idea that can't carry much appeal.
"You’re going to lose games in this league. You have to practice, you have to work hard and get prepared for the next game," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "There’s no magic formula or no magic lecture or talk you can give. You have to go back, you have to work hard. Our young players have to get better. That’s what we’ll be focused on doing."
On the positive side for Syracuse, while Marquette does have that 13-8 record the Golden Eagles have lost three of their last four games.
