Kam Jones scored 34 points for the second consecutive game and Tyler Kolek added a double-double to lead No. 7 Marquette to an 88-64 victory over visiting Xavier in a Big East matchup on Sunday in Milwaukee.
Kolek had 11 points and 10 assists along with a team-high seven rebounds for Marquette (21-6, 12-4 Big East). Oso Ighodaro had 12 points and David Joplin 10 for the Golden Eagles, who earned their 10th win in 11 games and improved to 13-1 at home.
Jones, celebrating his 22nd birthday Sunday, hit 11 of 17 shots, including 6 of 10 from deep, to match his career scoring high, set Wednesday in Marquette’s 105-71 rout of DePaul. Jones has 68 points in his last two games on 23-of-32 shooting, including 14-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Kolek, who entered No. 1 in the nation with 7.6 assists per game, has 28 assists in his last two games.
Marquette shot 47.8 percent, making 32 of 67 shots, but aside from Jones, the Golden Eagles were just 3-of-15 from deep and 9-of-17 from the free-throw line.
Trey Green had 16 points and Quincy Olivari 14 for Xavier (13-14, 7-9 Big East). The Musketeers made just 25 of 70 shots (35.7 percent) and just 4 of 23 from long distance.
Olivari opened the second half with a layup to pull Xavier within 36-28, but Marquette answered with a 10-0 run. Jones’ lay-in pushed the lead to 46-28 with 17 1/2 minutes left.
The Golden Eagles led comfortably the rest of the way. Kolek’s lay-in put Marquette in front 72-47 with 7:21 remaining.
Dayvion McKnight’s basket put Xavier up 18-16 midway through the first, but the Musketeers then went scoreless for the next 5 1/2 minutes.
Marquette outscored Xavier 20-8 over the final 11:19 of the first half. Kolek’s layup put the Golden Eagles up 36-26 at the break.
The Golden Eagles close the regular season at Xavier on March 9.
–Field Level Media