COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Kam Jones was instrumental for No. 15 Marquette, scoring 18 of his 28 points in the latter half, leading his team to a narrow 78-74 victory over Maryland on Friday night.
In a matchup filled with intensity, there were nine ties and 13 lead changes, showcasing the competitive spirit of both teams. The Golden Eagles (4-0) capitalized on Jones’ impressive shooting to edge past a Terrapins squad that had previously dominated their first three games by margins of 30, 34, and 31 points.
With just over a minute left, Marquette was ahead 74-66. However, Maryland fought back to narrow the gap, bringing the score to 76-74. In a critical moment, Maryland’s DeShawn Harris-Smith stepped up to the free-throw line for two shots with 14.7 seconds left but failed to convert either attempt.
Jones demonstrated his scoring prowess by making ten of eighteen shots from the field, including three out of five attempts from three-point range. For Maryland (3-1), both freshman center Derik Queen and Ja’Kobi Gillespie contributed significantly, each scoring 24 points. Meanwhile, Stevie Mitchell added 18 points for the Golden Eagles in their first away game of the season.
In terms of takeaways, Marquette is adapting following the departure of key players Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro to the NBA. Jones has stepped up admirably in their absence, supported by Mitchell against the Terrapins, but there are concerns about team depth. On the other hand, Maryland proved they could compete against a top-15 opponent, despite the disappointment of losing on their home court in front of a lively audience.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Maryland was leading 61-59; Jones responded by sinking a three-pointer, followed by a three-point play after Queen missed his own attempt, pushing the score to 65-61 with just over six minutes remaining.
An important statistic highlighted Maryland’s struggles: the Terrapins committed 13 turnovers and managed to convert only 9 of their 14 free-throw attempts, with those crucial misses from Harris-Smith playing a significant role in the outcome. Conversely, Marquette kept their turnovers to a minimum, committing just seven, and excelled at the free-throw line, going 18 for 24.
Looking ahead, Marquette is set to face another Big Ten team, No. 13 Purdue, in their next game at home on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Maryland will be hosting Canisius on the same evening, aiming to bounce back from this challenging defeat.