MILWAUKEE – Marquette and senior Kam Jones have wrestled state bragging rights from the University of Wisconsin.
No.5 Marquette took it to its in-state rivalries in the second half, showcasing an offensive machine that No.11 Wisconsin couldn’t stifle in an 88-74 victory in front of a record crowd of 18,107 at Fiserv Forum
The face of the program after pushing off the NBA, Kam Jones led all scorers with 32 points for the Golden Eagles (9-1), which began the second half with a vengeance.
Marquette averaged 2.077 points on its first 13 possessions of the second half and 1.75 points over the first 20, blitzing the Badgers with dribble penetration that resulted in production at the rim and shots from the perimeter.
After scoring 14 points in the paint in the first half, the Golden Eagles scored 10 on their first 11 possessions and kept pouring it on. Jones and forward David Joplin (13 points) did the heavy lifting, as Marquette built a lead as large as 15 points.
The Golden Eagles shot 54.1 percent in the second half and scored 51 points off only five three-pointers and six free throws.
Senior Max Klesmit broke his scoring slump with 22 points but didn’t get much help. John Tonje was constantly doubled and was 3-for-11 from the floor. John Blackwell had 17 but four costly turnovers and defensive miscues led to transition points and
On the 20 possessions where Marquette took control, Wisconsin shot 50 percent from the floor but committed seven turnovers that fueled Marquette’s momentum.
What it means: Wisconsin’s offense was the problem on Tuesday’s loss to Michigan, but the blame Saturday was solely on the second-half defense, which could break Marquette’s wave of momentum. Marquette's 88 points are the most the Golden Eagles have scored against Wisconsin since putting up 94 in 1982.
Star of the game: Jones made everything flow seamlessly for Marquette, as the senior finished with 32 points, six assists, four steals, and no turnovers. He’s the first UW opponent to score 30 since the 2024 Big Ten Tournament title game.
Stat of the game: Marquette scored 18 points off Wisconsin’s 16 turnovers.
Reason to be Concerned: Wisconsin’s defense looked like it was starting to click over the last few weeks as the schedule picked up, but Marquette had little trouble scoring in the lane. Marquette finished with 44 points in the paint.
Don’t overlook: Carter Gilmore created as much energy and momentum from Wisconsin as anybody in the first half. While he only scored three points, Gilmore had three offensive rebounds, and a career-high four assists in 12 first-half minutes, most coming in a nine-possession span late in the first half.
What’s next: Wisconsin returns to Big Ten play with a road trip to Illinois on Tuesday. Currently ranked 19th in the AP poll, the Illini (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten) lost their conference opener at Northwestern and are 1-2 against Power-Four schools. Center Tomislav Ivisic leads the Illini in scoring (16.1) and is 29th nationally in rebounding (9.3). Illinois has followed its 15-game losing streak to UW by winning the last eight meetings, including the 2024 Big Ten Tournament title game.
The tip from the State Farm Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be televised on Peacock.
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