NO. 10 MARQUETTE AT NO. 21 UCONN KEEP AN EYE ON

When: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Where: XL Center

Records: Marquette 19-5 (11-2 Big East), UConn 18-6 (7-6 Big East)

TV: FS1

Radio: UConn Sports Network, WAVZ-New Haven (1300 AM), WGCH- Greenwich (1490 AM), WATR-Waterbury (1320 AM), WICH-Norwich (1310 AM, 94.5 FM), WILI-Wilimantic (1400 AM, 95.3 FM), 97.9 FM-ESPN Hartford, SiriusXM-983, SXM App 973

Jackson riding high:

Andre Jackson Jr. is coming off one of his best games of this season, and not just because he had 10 rebounds and seven assists to go with seven points (including a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk and a swished 3-pointer).

Jackson held Georgetown leading scorer Primo Spears scoreless in the UConn men’s basketball team’s too-close-for-comfort 68-62 victory on Saturday in Washington, D.C. Spears, the Windsor product who entered the game averaging 16.8 points per contest, attempted just one shot. None in the second half.

While it did appear that Spears was consciously trying to play a more distributor role, Jackson’s defense was impressive nonetheless. It’s why he’s a nominee for national Defensive Player of the Year. He stopped the player that makes Georgetown go.

Kolek pointing the way:

The Golden Eagles have one of the most impressive offenses in the country. Dynamic guard Kam Jones is their leading scorer, and physical forwards Oso Ighodaro and Olivier-Maxence Prosper have NBA potential.

But the leader of the gang, the head of the snake, is point guard Tyler Kolek. Like Spears, he’s somewhat local (Cumberland, R.I.). Unlike Spears, he is one of the very best distributors in the country. He leads the Big East and is second in the nation in assists per game at 7.9. He’s also improved his shooting and is averaging 11.3 ppg.

Cut off Kolek and there’s a chance you cut off Marquette’s freewheeling offense. With that in mind, does Dan Hurley put Jackson Jr. on him? Jackson is 6-foot-6 (Hurley figures closer to 6-7) with long arms, so he’d have a distinct size advantage over the 6-3 Kolek. Spears is also 6-3. Jackson’s length and athleticism could be used against the 6-4 Jones, as well, but it’s Kolek who is getting Jones (and everyone else) the ball.

Cut off the head of the snake and you’ve got a better shot against Marquette. Jackson Jr. on Kolek? Might be worth trying.