NEWARK, N.J. — In a Tuesday night showdown, Kam Jones led the No. 10 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles to a convincing 76-59 win over the struggling Seton Hall Pirates, forcing a staggering 24 turnovers throughout the game.
David Joplin contributed 12 points while Ben Gold added 11, as Marquette improved their record to 16-3 and 7-1 in the Big East, rebounding from a close 59-57 defeat to Xavier just a few days prior. Notably, Chase Ross was crucial in the defensive effort, recording five steals.
With this victory, Marquette has climbed to a tie for first place in the conference alongside No. 20 St. John’s, who are set to face Xavier at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Kam Jones also made headlines by moving up to fifth place on Marquette’s all-time scoring list, amassing a total of 1,754 points during his collegiate career.
On the other side of the court, Isaiah Coleman emerged as a standout for Seton Hall, scoring a personal-best 27 points. However, the Pirates, with a record of 6-13 and 1-7 in conference play, are in a deep slump, having lost four consecutive games and nine out of their last ten. Prince Aligbe also contributed with 12 points.
Despite Seton Hall briefly leading the game 2-0, Marquette controlled the match from start to finish.
**Key Takeaways:**
**Marquette:** The Golden Eagles are leading the Big East in steals per game. Stevie Mitchell, Ross, and Jones all rank among the top seven players in this category, showcasing their defensive prowess.
**Seton Hall:** The Pirates continued to struggle with turnovers, marking the second consecutive game where they struggled with ball security after they committed 18 turnovers in a heavy 79-51 loss to St. John’s.
**Turning Point:** Marquette executed an impressive 16-2 run midway through the first half, culminating in a three-pointer from Jones that stretched their lead to 30-13.
**Highlight Stats:** Marquette has proven to be effective when scoring over 70 points, winning 16 out of 17 such games. They capitalized on Seton Hall’s mistakes, scoring 23 points from their turnovers.
**Upcoming Matches:** Marquette will be back in action as they host Villanova on Friday, while Seton Hall travels to take on Creighton on Saturday.
