In a thriller, #4 Marquette defeated UCLA 71-69 in the final game of the 2023 Maui Invitational Quarterfinals. It was a game where both teams scored in double digits, and a dead-ball technical foul on Marquette's Sean Jones' crushing three-pointer sealed the victory.
UCLA led by as many as eight points in the first half, but Marquette fought back to tie the game at 35-35 at the end of the half. The teams traded scores in the second half as the scores traded hands. Midway through the half, Marquette took control of the game with a 17-0 spurt, but UCLA answered with a 6-0 spurt to tie the game at 64.
With the game tied at 69 with 38 seconds left, Jones hit the game-winning three-pointer to help Marquette take the lead for good. UCLA had two chances to tie the game or take the lead in the final seconds, but missed both shots.
Jones finished the game with 11 points, including the game-winning three-pointer. David Joplin had 19 points for Marquette and Oso Ighodaro had 14. Tyler Kolek just missed a double-double with nine points and nine assists.
UCLA was led by Sebastian Mack, who scored a career-high 25 points. Lazar Stefanovic scored 13 points and Will McClendon had 12.
Marquette will face top-seeded Kansas in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational on Tuesday night.