MILWAUKEE (Interstat) — In a game defined by statistical extremes and a furious second-half comeback, the Marquette women’s basketball team survived a monumental scare from DePaul, escaping with a 74-73 victory in a Big East Conference thriller Wednesday night at the Bradley Center.

The Golden Eagles, who led by as many as 23 points in the first half and by 18 at halftime, saw their dominance evaporate under a relentless full-court press from the Blue Demons. DePaul’s pressure forced Marquette into a staggering 22 turnovers, which the visitors converted into 23 points, nearly erasing a massive deficit in front of an announced crowd of 1,252.

The game’s decisive sequence came in the final seconds. With Marquette clinging to a 72-70 lead, DePaul’s Ally Timm drained a deep 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining, sending the Blue Demons’ bench into a frenzy with a stunning 73-72 advantage.

The lead was short-lived. On the ensuing inbound play, Marquette’s Jaidynn Mason, a guard from Kansas City, Missouri, drove hard to the basket and was fouled by DePaul’s Devin Hagemann with nine seconds on the clock. Mason calmly sank both free throws to put the Golden Eagles back in front, 74-73.

DePaul had one final chance. After a full timeout, the inbounds pass went to Hagemann, who was again fouled, this time by Bridget Utberg with three seconds left. Hagemann, a 5-foot-6 guard from Detroit, missed the first free throw. After a DePaul timeout, she missed the second intentionally, but Marquette’s Lee Volker secured the defensive rebound as time expired, sealing the narrow victory.

The final moments capped a game that was a tale of two halves. Marquette (14-7, 6-4 Big East) was nearly flawless early, shooting 65 percent from the floor in the first half and building a 49-27 lead at intermission. The Golden Eagles dominated inside, finishing with a 52-36 advantage in points in the paint and a remarkable 10 blocked shots, led by Skylar Forbes of Markham, Canada, who had four.

DePaul (5-18, 2-9), however, refused to capitulate. The Blue Demons turned up their defensive intensity after halftime, forcing 15 of Marquette’s turnovers in the final 20 minutes. They outscored Marquette 46-25 in the second half, shooting 46 percent from the field after a frigid 26 percent first-half performance.

Ally Timm, a guard from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, spearheaded the DePaul comeback, scoring all of her team-high 21 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers. Alayna West of Madison, Wisconsin, added 19 points, while Kate Novik of Grodno, Belarus, contributed 16 points.

For Marquette, Jaidynn Mason led all scorers with 16 points and dished out seven assists, though she also committed eight turnovers. Halle Vice of Bettendorf, Iowa, recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds to go with three blocks. Lee Volker of Purcellville, Virginia, added 10 points.

Despite the loss, DePaul’s performance marked a dramatic turnaround from the teams’ first meeting on Dec. 4, a 85-54 Marquette rout. The Blue Demons, who entered the game with an offensive rating of 96.6, found their rhythm late, while Marquette’s offensive efficiency plummeted after halftime.

The Golden Eagles’ victory, though narrow, keeps them in the upper tier of the Big East standings. DePaul, despite falling to 2-9 in conference play, demonstrated significant resilience, turning what appeared to be a blowout into a nail-biter that was decided at the free-throw line in the final seconds.

Marquette next travels to face Georgetown on Sunday. DePaul will look to build on the momentum of its near-upset when it visits Villanova on Saturday.