MILWAUKEE — In a stunning game on Tuesday night, Kam Jones delivered a remarkable performance, registering 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead No. 15 Marquette to a decisive 76-58 victory over No. 6 Purdue. This win marked the end of the Boilermakers’ impressive 39-game regular-season nonconference winning streak.
Purdue (4-1) hadn’t faced defeat in a regular-season nonconference game since losing 58-54 to Miami on December 8, 2020, achieving the fourth-longest nonconference streak in NCAA history. The current record for the longest streak belongs to Syracuse, who dominated with a 52-game win streak from December 17, 2008, to December 17, 2012.
Jones’ triple-double represents only the third occurrence in the history of the program, and it is notable as the first since Dwyane Wade accomplished the feat with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in Marquette’s 83-69 win over Kentucky during the 2003 regional final, which was pivotal for their most recent trip to the Final Four. The school’s other triple-double was produced by Tony Miller against Wisconsin on December 31, 1994.
In addition to Jones’ standout performance, Stevie Mitchell shone with a career-high 21 points for Marquette (5-0), while Chase Ross contributed 12 and Ben Gold added 11 points. On the other side, Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn led his team with 16 points, supported by Fletcher Loyer with 13 and Braden Smith with 11.
There were notable takeaways from the game for both teams. The loss not only ended Purdue’s long-standing streak of nonconference victories but also interrupted their NCAA-best run of 25 consecutive wins in November. For Marquette, Jones showcased his growth into a more well-rounded player, as evidenced by his career-highs in rebounds and assists.
A crucial moment occurred when Purdue was trailing 55-49 with eight minutes to go. David Joplin sparked a significant shift by scoring four points in an 8-0 run for Marquette. This sequence stretched their lead to 14 points with just under five minutes remaining, culminating with Ross stealing the ball and assisting Mitchell for an easy layup.
In terms of statistics, Purdue had a significant increase in turnovers on Tuesday, committing 15 compared to just three in their previous game against No. 2 Alabama, which they won 87-78.
Looking ahead, both teams will have their next games on Saturday, with Purdue set to host Marshall and Marquette traveling to face Georgia in the Bahamas at Paradise Island.