Milwaukee — In an exciting matchup on Friday night, No. 18 Marquette secured a convincing 82-63 victory over George Mason, with standout performances from key players, including David Joplin, who delivered an impressive 27 points and 10 rebounds. The game, held in the intimate setting of the Al McGuire Center on Marquette’s campus, was energized by a spirited crowd comprised entirely of students.

Tensions escalated in the final minute when Marquette’s Ben Gold attempted a drive to the basket and was met with a hard foul from Woody Newton, who appeared to strike Gold’s face with his elbow. The incident sparked a heated exchange between players from both teams, resulting in technical fouls for both Newton and Marquette’s Kam Jones, with Newton’s fifth foul leading to his disqualification from the game.

Jones contributed significantly to Marquette’s success, finishing with 24 points and 8 assists. On the other side, Darius Maddox led George Mason with 20 points as the Patriots fell to a season record of 1-1. The game was a notable shift from Marquette’s usual venue, the larger Fiserv Forum, which typically accommodates over 17,000 spectators.

Marquette started strong, quickly jumping to a 13-0 lead within the first two and a half minutes, aided by the enthusiasm of the student body. However, George Mason recovered, even taking a five-point lead early in the second half. The Golden Eagles faced a rough patch, missing 14 consecutive shots, and it wasn’t until the last few minutes that they finally pulled away decisively.

Key Takeaways:
For George Mason, a major area for improvement is ball control, as they recorded 19 turnovers during the game and have accumulated 36 turnovers to just 25 assists through two games. Meanwhile, Marquette dominated late in the game by outscoring the Patriots 16-2 in the final four and a half minutes.

A pivotal moment occurred when Chase Ross stole the ball and converted it into a dunk, allowing Marquette to take a permanent lead at 52-51 with 12:25 remaining in the game.
Statistically, Marquette excelled with 13 steals and a notable 22-8 advantage in points resulting from turnovers against George Mason.

Looking ahead, George Mason will play against Stony Brook in their next matchup, while Marquette is set to host Central Michigan on Monday, aiming to build on this positive momentum from their latest victory.