MARQUETTE 61, WEST VIRGINIA 60: Jae Crowder went off for 26 points as the visiting Golden Eagles overcame some internal problems and dealt a big blow to the Mountaineers’ NCAA Tournament hopes.

Marquette (24-5, 13-3 Big East) suspended four players for half the game because of team rule violations, including starters Darius Johnson-Odom, Junior Cadougan and Vander Blue for the opening period.

West Virginia (17-12, 7-9) used that advantage to grab a 32-21 lead at the half and stretched it out to a 15-point edge early in the second as Johnson-Odom and company struggled to get into the flow.

Crowder, who kept the Golden Eagles alive with nine points in the first half, picked up his teammates in the second with 10 points in the first 9:28 to draw Marquette within 41-37.

Johnson-Odom scored five points during a 9-0 burst and the Golden Eagles took their first lead with 7:14 left in the game, when Blue stole the ball and drove in for a dunk, capping the burst.

West Virginia crept back to within a point and had a chance at the end, but Darryl Bryant’s wild shot missed everything.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Big East leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Jones was held to 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting and six rebounds. … West Virginia committed 19 turnovers in falling to 10th place in the conference. … Marquette has won five straight and 12 of its last 13.