Sean Jones hits late 3-pointer to lift No. 4 Marquette to 71-69 win over UCLA at Maui Invitational

HONOLULU — Sean Jones hit a straightaway 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to lift No. 4 Marquette to a 71P-69 win over UCLA in a Maui Invitational quarterfinal on Monday.

David Joplin scored 19 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Golden Eagles (4-0) came back from a 12-point deficit in the second half. Oso Ighodaro scored nine of his 14 points after halftime, Kam Jones had 12 points and Tyler Kolek added nine points, nine assists and five rebounds.

“When we got down 12 points though, our huddle was the huddle of a team with real character and these guys looked at each other and told each other what they needed to do and we went out there and attacked and took the lead,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said. “UCLA deserves a lot of credit as well for fighting and taking the lead back and huge shot by Sean Jones to win it for us.”

Sebastian Mack, who scored 16 of his career-high 25 points in the second half for the Bruins (3-1).

UCLA held a late 69-68 lead after Adem Bona’s spin move and bucket inside with 53 seconds to play. However, Jones answered with his 3-pointer to put Marquette back ahead for good.

The Bruins had two chances to tie it or pull ahead in the final seconds, but Lazar Stefanovic’s 3-pointer rimmed out, as did Mack’s last-ditch layup just before the final buzzer.

UCLA held its largest lead at 45-33 on a baseline runner by Mack with 15:02 left to play. However, Marquette went on a 17-0 run and took a 46-45 lead with 12:11 remaining on a thunderous dunk by Ighodaro.

“I mean, that’s our leader, that’s Osa, so he makes plays like that everybody’s hyped,” Joplin said.

UCLA led by as many as eight in the first half after Lazar Stefanovic’s dunk off an inbounds pass with 7:38 left until halftime. Marquette cut it to a two-point game with a…