A week after winning at Pittsburgh, the Big East's top team, Marquette (19-4, 6-2 Big East) improved its away record to 5-1 with a 70-68 win at lowly South Florida Sunday.,”

The men's basketball team showed in its last two games away from the Bradley Center the difficulty of winning Big East contests on the road, no matter where its opponent stood in the conference.

A week after winning at Pittsburgh, the Big East's top team (20-3, 8-1), Marquette (19-4, 6-2) improved its away record to 5-1 with a 70-68 win at lowly South Florida Sunday.

Sophomore guard Jerel McNeal stole the second pass off a midcourt inbounds, dribbled three-quarters court in less than four seconds and hit a contested layup as time expired.

"I kept telling guys, 'we got to get a turnover, we got to get a turnover right here and we're gonna win the game,' " said McNeal, who finished with 13 points. "I'm not sure if everybody believed me, but I (got a turnover) afterward, and that's all that mattered."

The close margin of victory was nothing out of the ordinary: The Golden Eagles' five road wins have come by an average of 4.2 points.

"This team this year is so much more poised than we were last year," McNeal said. "Especially on the road."

Figuring out ways to win games on the road has become a trademark, and an area in which the squad struggled last season.

The team figures to be in similar situations during the final two months of the season.

"They have an unbelievable attitude . a lot of that is from the experience that they got last year," said assistant coach Jason Rabedeaux.

Early shooting woes only a hiccup

Marquette opened the game 2-of-20 from the field, but shot 21-of-40 after its frigid start.

The squad also continued its improved three-point shooting of late (8-of-19).

Since the start of their six-game win streak, the Golden Eagles have shot 41.2 percent (40-of-97) from beyond the arc. Junior Dan Fitzgerald and freshman David Cubillan combined to hit five three-pointers Sunday.

The pair has proven a valuable deep-threat off the bench. Cubillan is shooting 45.3 percent from outside, while Fitzgerald has improved to 43.3 percent.

Under pressure

Marquette forced 19 turnovers Sunday. South Florida's high turnover mark hindered the club from obtaining more than a four-point lead down the stretch, despite its 52.9 field-goal percentage. The Golden Eagles took nine more shots than the Bulls.

On the season, the Golden Eagles have usually kept turnovers low. The club has forced 444 and has committed 355. In Big East play, the team has forced 101 and committed 92.

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