MILWAUKEE — On Monday night, the 15th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles showcased their strength by defeating Central Michigan with a final score of 70-62. The victory was greatly aided by an impressive early-game performance, highlighted by a remarkable 21-0 scoring run.
Stevie Mitchell led the charge for Marquette, contributing 17 points to the team’s effort. Kam Jones and Chase Ross followed closely behind, each scoring 12 points, while Ben Gold added 10 points. Jones also made sizeable contributions in other areas, finishing with eight assists, five rebounds, and three steals.
On the other side, Kyler VanderJagt emerged as the top scorer for Central Michigan, putting up 19 points during the contest.
The matchup got off to a competitive start, with both teams tied at 15 points more than nine minutes into the game. However, Marquette seized control by scoring 21 consecutive points over a span of just over three minutes, with Jones playing a pivotal role by scoring 10 points and providing two assists during that period. Despite efforts from Central Michigan to close the gap, including a strong second half, they were unable to completely recover from the deficit.
Looking at the team’s performances, Central Michigan faced significant challenges, including a staggering total of 26 turnovers. They also struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 12 of their 19 attempts. Nevertheless, the Chippewas fought hard to keep the game interesting against their ranked opponents.
For Marquette, while they secured another win to maintain their undefeated record, their shooting from beyond the arc left much to be desired. The Golden Eagles managed only 10 successful 3-point shots out of 36 attempts, resulting in a rough 29.4% conversion rate concerning 3-pointers throughout their early season.
A key moment in the game came when Central Michigan was down 53-48 and had a chance to reduce the deficit. VanderJagt had a steal that initiated a fast break; however, he missed a crucial layup attempt. On the opposite end, Ross quickly responded by hitting a corner three-pointer, extending Marquette’s lead to 56-48 with 8:24 remaining, and the gap stayed above six points for the remainder of the game.
In terms of rebounding, Central Michigan outperformed Marquette with a total of 47 rebounds compared to Marquette’s 26. However, they only managed to lead in second-chance points by a narrow margin of 9-6, largely due to their high number of turnovers and a shooting percentage of just 40.4%.
Looking ahead, Central Michigan will be traveling to challenge George Mason on Wednesday, while Marquette is set to face off against Maryland this Friday.