Jones has happy birthday with 2nd straight 34-point game in No. 7 Marquette's 88-64 rout of Xavier
MILWAUKEE (AP) Kam Jones has a hard time explaining the reason behind his recent surge.
It's been even tougher for Big East opponents to figure out how to guard him lately.
Jones celebrated his 22nd birthday by scoring 34 points for a second straight game and No. 7 Marquette trounced slumping Xavier 88-64 on Sunday. Over his last two games, Jones has shot 23 of 32 from the floor and 14 of 20 from beyond the arc.
“I wouldn’t say anything’s flipped,” Jones said. “I’m just being aggressive. That’s my mindset every game. Go out and be aggressive. Don’t overthink.”
Marquette coach Shaka Smart believes he knows what has enabled Jones to step up his performance these last few days.
“He's present,” Smart said. “It sounds really oversimplified, but you can't be good when you're in the past or in the future mentally. When you are here in the moment, and the ball comes to you, and you can shoot the ball like him, or attack and finish around the basket like him, then great things are going to happen. So you might say why isn't he present all the time. Well, that's what we're working on.”
Jones shot 11 of 17 overall and 6 of 10 on 3-point attempts Sunday to match the career-best scoring total he had produced Wednesday in a 105-71 blowout of DePaul. This was his third game with 30-plus points this month, as Jones also scored 31 points in a 91-57 victory at Georgetown on Feb. 3.
He's making a habit of performing well on his birthday. The day he turned 21, Jones scored 22 points in a 90-84 victory over DePaul.
How did he plan to celebrate his latest birthday bonanza?
“Probably just hang out with my teammates,” Jones said. “I just told them, ‘Party in my room.’ Hang out with my teammates and have a good time.”
Marquette (21-6, 12-4 Big East) had reason to be in a festive mood after winning for the 10th time in 11 games.
Tyler Kolek had 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Golden Eagles. Oso Ighodaro had 12 points and David Joplin got 10.
Xavier (13-14, 7-9) lost its fourth straight. Trey Green scored 16 points, Quincy Olivari 14, Dailyn Swain 11 and Dayvion McKnight 10 for the Musketeers.
“Today we were overwhelmed, outclassed, outplayed by a much better team,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said.
The first nine minutes of the game featured six ties and four lead changes before Marquette used its defense to take control. The Golden Eagles held Xavier scoreless for a stretch lasting over 5 ½ minutes while turning an 18-16 deficit into a 25-18 lead.
Marquette led 36-26 at the break before breaking the game open by scoring 10 straight points early in the second half. The Golden Eagles eventually led by as many as 32.
BIG PICTURE
Xavier: The Musketeers didn't get enough production from their top players. Desmond Claude, who entered the day with 16.1 points per game to rank second on the team, went scoreless and shot 0 for 8 in 27 minutes. Olivari, who was ranked fifth among all Division I players in 3-point percentage (.443), went 2 of 11 from beyond the arc.
Marquette: On a day when Marquette honored its 1974 Final Four team in a halftime ceremony, the Golden Eagles showed why they’re capable of making a deep NCAA Tournament run. They also continued their home dominance. Marquette has won 25 of its last 26 Big East home games.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Marquette has a chance to move up a spot by leapfrogging No. 4 Arizona, which has split two games since the last poll came out.
UP NEXT
Xavier: Hosts DePaul on Wednesday.
Marquette: Hosts Providence on Wednesday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Golden Eagles gains possession) | |||
19:41 | +2 | David Joplin makes two point jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists) | 0-2 | |
19:28 | Oso Ighodaro blocks Abou Ousmane's two point layup | |||
19:26 | Musketeers offensive rebound | |||
19:18 | Dayvion McKnight misses three point jump shot | |||
19:14 | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | |||
19:11 | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
19:08 | Quincy Olivari defensive rebound | |||
18:52 | Dailyn Swain misses two point jump shot | |||
18:44 | Abou Ousmane offensive rebound | |||
18:44 | Abou Ousmane misses two point layup | |||
18:44 | Abou Ousmane offensive rebound | |||
18:44 | +2 | Abou Ousmane makes two point layup | 2-2 | |
18:33 | Oso Ighodaro misses two point jump shot | |||
18:31 | Abou Ousmane defensive rebound | |||
18:27 | Abou Ousmane turnover | |||
18:25 | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point layup (Tyler Kolek assists) | 2-4 | |
17:49 | +2 | Dailyn Swain makes two point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists) | 4-4 | |
17:36 | Tyler Kolek turnover (Desmond Claude steals) | |||
17:31 | +2 | Quincy Olivari makes two point layup (Dayvion McKnight assists) | 6-4 | |
17:15 | David Joplin turnover (Desmond Claude steals) | |||
17:15 | Desmond Claude misses three point jump shot | |||
16:59 | Tyler Kolek defensive rebound | |||
16:43 | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup | 6-6 | |
16:33 | Desmond Claude turnover (Kam Jones steals) | |||
16:26 | Kam Jones turnover (Dayvion McKnight steals) | |||
16:21 | +2 | Dailyn Swain makes two point layup (Quincy Olivari assists) | 8-6 | |
15:50 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 8-8 | |
15:50 | Dayvion McKnight shooting foul (Kam Jones draws the foul) | |||
15:50 | TV timeout | |||
15:50 | +1 | Kam Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 8-9 | |
15:36 | +3 | Trey Green makes three point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists) | 11-9 | |
15:26 | Oso Ighodaro turnover | |||
15:11 | Trey Green misses three point jump shot | |||
15:09 | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | |||
14:48 | David Joplin misses two point jump shot | |||
14:46 | Musketeers defensive rebound | |||
14:26 | Desmond Claude misses two point jump shot | |||
14:24 | Chase Ross defensive rebound | |||
14:19 | Quincy Olivari shooting foul (Chase Ross draws the foul) | |||
14:19 | Chase Ross misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
14:19 | Chase Ross misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
14:19 | Dailyn Swain defensive rebound | |||
14:03 | Quincy Olivari misses two point jump shot | |||
14:01 | Chase Ross defensive rebound | |||
13:45 | David Joplin misses two point jump shot | |||
13:43 | Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound | |||
13:36 | +3 | Trey Green makes three point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists) | 14-9 | |
13:23 | +3 | Kam Jones makes three point jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists) | 14-12 | |
13:07 | +2 | Trey Green makes two point layup (Dailyn Swain assists) | 16-12 | |
12:58 | +2 | Tyler Kolek makes two point layup | 16-14 | |
12:28 | Tyler Kolek blocks Quincy Olivari's three point jump shot | |||
12:26 | Kam Jones defensive rebound | |||
12:10 | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | |||
12:08 | Sasa Ciani defensive rebound | |||
11:55 | Sasa Ciani turnover (Ben Gold steals) | |||
11:50 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup (Chase Ross assists) | 16-16 | |
11:32 | +2 | Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup | 18-16 | |
11:18 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 18-18 | |
11:08 | Chase Ross blocks Trey Green's two point layup | |||
11:06 | Ben Gold defensive rebound | |||
11:00 | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 18-20 | |
10:50 | Musketeers 30 second timeout | |||
10:50 | TV timeout | |||
10:33 | Kam Jones shooting foul (Abou Ousmane draws the foul) | |||
10:33 | Abou Ousmane misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:33 | Abou Ousmane misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
10:33 | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | |||
10:10 | Gytis Nemeiksa shooting foul (Stevie Mitchell draws the foul) | |||
10:10 | +1 | Stevie Mitchell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-21 | |
10:10 | +1 | Stevie Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-22 | |
9:47 | Trey Green turnover (bad pass) (Kam Jones steals) | |||
9:38 | Ben Gold misses three point jump shot | |||
9:36 | Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound | |||
9:09 | Desmond Claude misses two point layup | |||
9:07 | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
8:53 | Tre Norman turnover (Abou Ousmane steals) | |||
8:27 | Gytis Nemeiksa turnover (Ben Gold steals) | |||
8:20 | Abou Ousmane personal foul | |||
8:17 | Desmond Claude shooting foul (Oso Ighodaro draws the foul) | |||
8:17 | Oso Ighodaro misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
8:17 | Oso Ighodaro misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:17 | Quincy Olivari defensive rebound | |||
8:06 | Abou Ousmane misses two point layup | |||
8:04 | Abou Ousmane offensive rebound | |||
8:01 | David Joplin blocks Abou Ousmane's two point layup | |||
7:59 | David Joplin defensive rebound | |||
7:53 | David Joplin misses two point layup | |||
7:51 | Abou Ousmane defensive rebound | |||
7:47 | Stevie Mitchell personal foul | |||
7:47 | TV timeout | |||
7:44 | Quincy Olivari misses three point jump shot | |||
7:42 | Zaide Lowery defensive rebound | |||
7:32 | Tyler Kolek misses three point jump shot | |||
7:30 | Kachi Nzeh defensive rebound | |||
7:20 | Kachi Nzeh misses two point layup | |||
7:18 | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | |||
7:10 | Oso Ighodaro misses two point jump shot | |||
7:08 | Stevie Mitchell offensive rebound | |||
7:03 | +3 | David Joplin makes three point jump shot (Stevie Mitchell assists) | 18-25 | |
6:45 | Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot | |||
6:43 | Musketeers offensive rebound | |||
6:27 | Stevie Mitchell blocks Desmond Claude's two point layup | |||
6:25 | Tyler Kolek defensive rebound | |||
6:16 | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | |||
6:14 | Desmond Claude defensive rebound | |||
6:06 | Quincy Olivari misses two point layup | |||
6:04 | Kachi Nzeh offensive rebound | |||
6:01 | +2 | Kachi Nzeh makes two point layup | 20-25 | |
5:56 | +2 | Tyler Kolek makes two point layup | 20-27 | |
5:48 | Desmond Claude misses three point jump shot | |||
5:46 | Kachi Nzeh offensive rebound | |||
5:43 | Kachi Nzeh misses two point jump shot | |||
5:41 | Desmond Claude offensive rebound | |||
5:31 | Desmond Claude misses two point layup | |||
5:29 | Desmond Claude offensive rebound | |||
5:24 | Stevie Mitchell personal foul | |||
5:08 | Dayvion McKnight misses three point jump shot | |||
5:04 | Musketeers turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
4:57 | Tyler Kolek misses three point jump shot | |||
4:55 |