INDIANAPOLIS – In its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013, No. 15 WKU fell to No. 2 Marquette, 87-69, in Friday’s first round action at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
 
The Hilltoppers (22-12) led by as much as 10 in the first half and closed the first half on an 18-5 run to head into the break with an eight-point advantage.
 
Senior forward Tyrone Marshall Jr. headlined the dominant first half with 17 points on 6-8 shooting, including a 4-5 mark from three-point range. He finished the game with a career-high 21 points to go with six rebounds, five assists and two blocks.
 
WKU, which came in as a top-25 rebounding team in the country, outrebounded the Golden Eagles by a 44-37 margin. However, it marked just the third loss for the Hilltoppers when pulling down at least 28 rebounds (18-3 for the season).