CINCINNATI — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Kam Jones contributed 20 points and David Joplin added 19 as No. 9 Marquette secured a narrow 72-70 victory against Xavier. The Golden Eagles, who now have an 11-2 record and remain undefeated in the Big East at 2-0, built a commanding 15-point lead in the second half. However, the Musketeers mounted a fierce comeback, launching a 12-0 scoring streak that allowed them to take a 64-63 advantage with just over two minutes left to play.

With 3.6 seconds remaining, Jones sank one of two free throw attempts, putting Marquette ahead 72-70. In the frantic final moments, Xavier’s Colby Jones fell to the floor under pressure from Marquette’s Chase Ross, but no foul was called as the game concluded.

Marcus Foster led the charge for Xavier (8-5, 0-2 Big East) with 16 points. Marquette established an early lead, partly thanks to Ben Gold’s pair of three-pointers, helping them close the first half at 27-22. Despite Jones’ scoring struggles in the first half, where he did not register a field goal until the last few minutes, he found his rhythm in the second half, pouring in 15 points. Joplin, having scored only four points in the first half, also contributed significantly with 15 points after halftime, including a key three-pointer that extended Marquette’s lead to 48-35 with 11 minutes remaining.

**Game Highlights**
Marquette’s Joplin had been criticized for his shot selection in earlier games, but he showcased improvement, hitting 8 of 15 attempts on Saturday and surpassing the 1,000-point milestone in his collegiate career. Meanwhile, Xavier continues to deal with the absence of second-leading scorer and top rebounder Zach Freemantle, who is sidelined due to a knee injury suffered in a game against Cincinnati on December 14. Marquette capitalized on this hardship, racking up 44 points in the paint during the game.

**Turning Point**
A pivotal moment came with just over a minute left when Stevie Mitchell executed a steal, allowing Joplin to score quickly at the other end, pushing the Golden Eagles’ lead to 67-64.

**Statistical Insight**
Although Marquette had previously limited their turnovers significantly in their win over Butler with only two mistakes, they struggled with seven turnovers in the first half against Xavier, just shy of their season average. They ended the game with a total of ten turnovers.

**Looking Ahead**
Next, Marquette will face Providence while Xavier will host Seton Hall, both games scheduled for December 31.