Milwaukee
AI Assisted Icon
Published on November 09, 2024
Marquette Golden Eagles Triumph Over George Mason 82-63, Joplin and Jones Lead Charge in Electric Student-Exclusive MatchupSource: Wikipedia/Marquette, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Marquette's Golden Eagles soared past George Mason with a decisive 82-63 victory, led by the dynamic duo of Kam Jones and David Joplin. Joplin, in a dominant performance, dropped 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Jones contributed a sturdy 24 points and eight assists. This high-energy game unraveled before an exclusive all-student audience at the on-campus Al McGuire Center, a stark contrast to their usual digs at the sprawling Fiserv Forum. The scene was built for intensity with over 3,700 students packing the stands, creating an electrifying atmosphere, as reported by JSOnline.

It wasn't all smooth sailing for Marquette, despite jumping to a 13-0 lead in the first 2½ minutes; George Mason fought back, outpacing Marquette who trailed by five early in the second half. According to Marquette's senior guard Kam Jones, who told JSOnline, "It was nothing short of what I thought it would be. We knew the fans was going to come with a bunch of energy." That energy seemed to feed the home team, who missed 14 straight shots before regaining composure and finally pulling away in the final minutes.

The game's intensity reached its apex in the last minute when Ben Gold, on a forceful drive to the basket, was met with a hard foul from George Mason's Woody Newton. The clash, described as Newton's elbow hitting Gold in the face, sparked a skirmish between players, leading to technical fouls on both Newton and Jones. This fracas, however, didn't overshadow the impressive runs made by each team, with Marquette finalizing their dominance in a game-ending 16-2 run, as per Marquette's official athletics website.

Despite a valiant effort by George Mason's standout Darius Maddox, who managed to net 20 points on efficacious 7-of-12 shooting, Marquette's defense held strong. Maddox led his team in scoring, but it was the explosive offense and the full throttle defensive effort in the final few minutes by Marquette that ultimately sealed the deal, TMJ4 reported. With this victory, the Golden Eagles have charted an impressive start to their season, now 2-0, as they prepare for the challenges that lie ahead in the BIG EAST.