South Bend, IN (My Sportsbook) - Jerel McNeal posted 27 points, including a crucial three-pointer late in the second half, as the eighth-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles stayed perfect in Big East play with a 71-64 victory over Notre Dame at the Joyce Center.

Four players carried the scoring responsibilities for the Eagles, but the squad as a whole committed just three turnovers and held the Fighting Irish to 36.4 percent shooting from the field.

Wesley Matthews dropped in 16 points and Lazar Hayward put up 13 for Marquette (18-2, 7-0 Big East), which has won 10 straight overall.

Dominic James was terrific was the Eagles, contributing 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists in arguably Marquette's biggest win of the season thus far.

Notre Dame (12-7, 3-5) had not lost at the Joyce Center in 45 consecutive games prior to Saturday's loss against UConn, but the Irish have now dropped back-to-back contests at home and four straight overall.

Luke Harangody once again carried the Irish with a 29-point, 17-rebound effort, but Kyle McAlarney and Ryan Ayers were once again non-factors in the loss.

McAlarney shot 3-for-12 from the floor for nine points, and Ayers, coming in averaging 10.8 ppg, was held scoreless on an 0-for-7 shooting effort.

Tory Jackson finished with 10 points, eight boards and seven helpers in defeat.

Jackson's three-pointer broke a 48-all tie with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game, but the Golden Eagles' 9-2 run over the next three-plus minutes -- capped by Hayward's three-point play -- made it a 57-53 affair.

Harangody's two free throws and Jackson's driving layup tied things with just over four minutes on the clock, but Marquette dealt the final blow.

After two makes from the foul line by Hayward, Jackson turned the ball over in the lane and Matthews put the Eagles up four with a floater in the lane.

ND pulled within 63-61 after two McAlarney free throws, but James went baseline and kicked it back to McNeal at the left wing for a huge three- pointer with 2:03 left.

With just over a minute to play, Notre Dame's Luke Zeller was stripped on the block and Matthews was fouled going for the loose ball. Following his two freebies, Jackson hit a three with just under a minute to play to give the Irish a fleeting chance.

Matthews went 1-for-2 at the foul line with 49 ticks left for a 69-64 advantage, but Zeller and Harangody were off the mark from downtown on back- to-back possessions and the home crowd once again went home unhappy.

McNeal's three-point play and layup midway through the opening half put the Eagles up, 20-14, which was the largest margin of the game up to that point.

Zeller ended a five-minute scoreless drought for the Irish with a deep ball just above the eight-minute mark, and the teams limped to the break with the visitors holding a 33-30 advantage.

Coming out of the intermission, Notre Dame was able to take a 38-37 lead when Jackson fed McAlarney on a backdoor cut for a layup four minutes in.

James responded with an offensive rebound and three-pointer on the other end to take the lead right back, and it went back-and-forth the rest of the way.

Game Notes

Both teams will be back in action Saturday, with Notre Dame travelling to Pittsburgh to take on the third-ranked Panthers, and Marquette hosting No. 25 Georgetown...Harangody has 14 double-doubles this season...Zeller and Jonathan Peoples each had eight points for Notre Dame, which shot 8-for-26 from three- point land...Marquette went 5-for-22 from behind the arc.