MILWAUKEE — In the season opener, No. 18 Marquette dominated Stony Brook with a significant 102-62 victory, driven by an impressive performance from Kam Jones, who tallied 32 points on an incredible shooting spree, hitting 14 out of 16 attempts.
Jones also showcased his three-point shooting ability, making 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, just two points shy of his personal best. Last season, he had standout games scoring 34 points each against DePaul and Xavier.
Chase Ross also had a memorable game, contributing a career-high of 23 points, while David Joplin added 13 points to the team’s total.
Marquette is aiming for its fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament this year as it seeks to fill the void left by standout guard Tyler Kolek, a 2024 Associated Press All-America second-team selection, and Oso Ighodaro, both of whom were taken in the second round of the NBA draft.
For Stony Brook, Joe Octave finished with 12 points, and Ben Wight recorded 10 points and eight rebounds.
In terms of key takeaways, Stony Brook, a member of the Coastal Athletic Association, has returned just one starter from its previous season, which concluded with a record of 20-15. Transfer Joe Octave, previously from Holy Cross, appears to be a crucial player for the Seawolves, as indicated by his early success in making three three-pointers within the first four minutes of the game.
For Marquette, the absence of a pure point guard due to Sean Jones’ recovery from a torn ACL could have been a challenge; however, the team excelled in ball distribution, recording 22 assists against only seven turnovers throughout the match.
One pivotal moment of the game occurred when Kam Jones converted a three-pointer off an assist by Ben Gold, granting Marquette a slim 21-19 lead with 10:35 left in the first half. This basket initiated a crucial 9-0 run for Marquette, allowing them to maintain a comfortable lead going into the later stages of the game.
When considering shooting performance, Marquette was efficient, finishing at 58.8% from the floor (40 out of 68 attempts). Although the team struggled from three-point range, hitting only 9 of 31, they excelled inside the arc, making 83.8% of their shots with 31 successful attempts out of 37.
Looking ahead, Stony Brook is set to face Central Michigan on Thursday, while Marquette will host George Mason on Friday at the Al McGuire Center, rather than their usual home at the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee.