MILWAUKEE — In a significant matchup on Tuesday night, the 18th-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles halted a three-game losing streak by defeating DePaul 68-58, thanks in part to Kam Jones’ impressive performance, where he scored 19 points. This achievement allowed Jones to ascend to third place on Marquette’s all-time scoring list, pushing his career total to 1,870 points and surpassing the previous holder, Lazar Hayward, who finished with 1,859 points during his time with the team from 2006-2010.
The record for Marquette’s all-time leading scorers remains with Markus Howard, who amassed 2,761 points from 2016 to 2020, followed by Jerel McNeal, who scored 1,985 points between 2005 and 2009. Alongside Jones, Stevie Mitchell contributed strongly to the victory with 17 points, helping Marquette improve its record to 19-6 overall and 10-4 in the Big East Conference. The win was crucial as it marked the end of the Golden Eagles’ longest losing streak since Shaka Smart took the coaching helm, which had occurred during the 2021-22 season.
DePaul, currently with a record of 11-14 and 2-12 in the conference, saw contributions from CJ Gunn with 14 points, Isaiah Rivera with 13 points, David Thomas scoring 11, and Layden Blocker reaching double digits with 10 points. Marquette’s recent dominance over DePaul continued, as they have now won eight of the last nine matchups, including a close 85-83 overtime victory earlier in the season.
Injury issues continue to plague the Blue Demons, with junior forward NJ Benson leaving the game in the second half due to a hand injury. Earlier this month, DePaul also lost point guard Conor Enright for the remainder of the season due to shoulder surgery. Despite securing the win, Marquette’s shooting from the three-point range remains a concern; the Golden Eagles were just 4 of 25 from distance and have experienced a rough stretch, shooting only 27.8% (30 of 108) from beyond the arc during their last four games. DePaul faced similar woes, finishing with 4 of 24 on three-point attempts.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred early in the second half when the score was tied. Marquette seized control with an impressive 18-2 run, during which Jones scored the team’s first eight points. This offensive surge left DePaul without a score for over five and a half minutes, significantly shifting the momentum of the game.
On the boards, Marquette outperformed expectations, despite entering the contest with a negative rebound margin of -2.2. The Golden Eagles secured 44 rebounds compared to DePaul’s 36 and dominated second-chance points 15 to 2. Looking ahead, DePaul is set to visit Xavier on Saturday, while Marquette will host Seton Hall next Tuesday.
