Markus Howard Ties Big East Record with 52 Points vs. Providence

Marquette Golden Eagles guard Markus Howard put on a show Wednesday with 52 points in a 95-90 win over the Providence Friars.

The Golden Eagles needed every one of those points considering it took them until overtime to finally dispatch of their fellow Big East foe despite the historic performance. According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Howard's 52 points tied a Big East record and set Marquette record for a single game.

The AP noted Howard's total tied Providence's Marshon Brooks for the Big East record and surpassed Marquette's previous mark of 44 points set by Tony Smith and Mike Moran.

It wasn't just the 52-point total, but the clutch nature of the scoring that was so impressive. Isaiah Jackson's layup gave Providence a 75-69 lead with less than three minutes remaining as the Friars appeared to be headed toward victory, but Howard scored Marquette's final 10 points of regulation down the stretch.

His and-1 with less than 30 seconds left ultimately sent the game to overtime, which he opened with a three that gave his team a lead it never relinquished. It was one of 11 shots he hit from distance during the evening.

Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports went as far as to call it the "best individual performance I've ever seen in person."

Andrew Rowsey was the only other Marquette player in double figures with 16 points in what was largely a one-man offensive show. Kyron Cartwright's 29 points were not enough for the Friars.

Howard will have a difficult time replicating his performance in Marquette's next contest on the road Saturday against the No. 3 Villanova Wildcats.