The most combustible player in the sport caught fire on Friday night as Marquette star Markus Howard, the top scorer in the Big East the last two seasons, dropped 51 (!!!) points in a blowout 101-78 win over Southern California.
Howard became the lone power conference player this decade to score 50 or more points on 25 or fewer shots, according to College Basketball Reference, but even more historic in the feat, it gave him consecutive 40-plus point outings in consecutive days -- the first player to ever achieve such a mark in Big East history after dropping 40 points on Thursday in a win over Davidson.
Howard's 51 at the Orlando Invitational gives him a third career 50-plus point outing in his illustrious college career, with both of the others coming last season in 52 and 53 blow-ups against Providence and Creighton, respectively. Unsurprisingly, his 91 points in two games is a new Orlando Invitational record.
Howard last season at Marquette averaged a cool 25.0 points per game and is off to a similar start this year. Despite losing the talented duo of the Hauser brothers to transfer, this season he's averaging 25.0 points per game and has already posted three 38-plus point nights this season.
The Golden Eagles, the benefactor of Howard's combustion, will face off against No. 5 Maryland on Sunday in the championship game of the Orlando Invitational.