Dec 21, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles ahead David Joplin (23) blocks a dunk try by Xavier Musketeers guard Marcus Foster (1) within the first half at Cintas Heart. Necessary Credit score: Aaron Doster-Imagn Pictures David Joplin scored 15 of his 19 factors within the second half and reached a profession milestone to steer the No. 9 Marquette Golden Eagles to a 72-70 win over the host Xavier Musketeers in a Huge East contest Saturday in Cincinnati.
All-American guard Kam Jones had 20 factors, together with seven clutch factors within the remaining two minutes for Marquette (11-2, 2-0), which received its second straight convention recreation.
After Jones made a free throw with 3.6 seconds left, Ryan Conwell misplaced his stability simply throughout midcourt as Marquette’s Chase Ross made an effort to disrupt his path to the basket. No foul was known as as time ran out on Xavier (8-5, 0-2), which misplaced its third straight, all to Prime 25 opponents.
Marcus Foster had 16 to steer Xavier whereas Jerome Hunter added 15 for the Musketeers. Dailyn Swain chipped in with a double-double for Xavier with 13 factors and 10 rebounds.
Marquette narrowly prevented blowing a double-digit street lead within the second half for the second straight Saturday in Southwestern Ohio. Final Saturday, the Golden Eagles led at Dayton by 13 early within the second half and had been outscored, 46-31, to fall to the Flyers.
Saturday in Cincinnati, Marquette led by 15 with seven minutes remaining however needed to stand up to livid rally by Xavier, which used a 14-0 run to take a 64-63 lead on a Hunter layup with 2:17 left.
However Jones answered with a layup 20 seconds later, igniting a 6-0 spurt to present the Golden Eagles the lead for good. Jones then drained a pair of free throws with 10.8 seconds left to present Marquette a three-point lead.
Xavier opened sizzling from past the arc as Swain, Foster and Dante Maddox Jr. all drained three-pointers to stake the Musketeers to leads of 12-6 and 15-11.
With Xavier main 17-14 on a Cam Fletcher dunk ten minutes into the primary half, the Musketeers went chilly. Xavier missed 10 consecutive pictures, together with 4 layups over a six-minute stretch because the Golden Eagles went on a 10-1 run to take a 24-18 lead.
Xavier misfired on 12 of their remaining 14 pictures from the sphere and completed the primary half capturing simply 9-of-28 from the ground. Marquette wasn’t a lot better at 11-for-29 however nonetheless managed a 27-22 halftime lead.
Joplin’s first basket of the second half, a layup with 16:11 remaining, gave him 1,000 for his four-year profession at Marquette.
Joplin drilled a three-pointer and was fouled on the shot with 14:50 remaining. He transformed the free throw to complete the four-point play and spark a 14-5 run that put Marquette up, 45-33.
–Area Stage Media
