Matt Painter talks about Kam Jones’ triple-double at Marquette
The Boilermakers coach expresses his admiration for the Golden Eagles’ program.
The Marquette men’s basketball team took care of business on its one-game trip to paradise.
David Joplin shook off an early-season shooting slump and scored 29 points as the Golden Eagles beat Georgia, 80-69, on Saturday at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.
The Golden Eagles (6-0) are ranked No. 14 in the USA TODAY coaches poll and 15th by The Associated Press, and they have won their first six games for the first time since the 2011-12 team started 10-0.
MORE: Box score | Marquette schedule | Big East standings
“Any time you go on the road outside country it can be tricky,” MU head coach Shaka Smart said. “It just feels different.
“I thought our guys handled it really well.”
David Joplin gets his three-point stroke going
It was a good sign that Joplin hit his first three-point attempt of the game.
Joplin had started the season just 8 for 39 (20.5%) from long range. He hit 6 for 11 on triples against the Bulldogs (5-1).
He hit timely shots, too.
MU lead, 36-35, at the break after Joplin hit a three in the waning seconds of the first half. After Georgia whittled a 15-point deficit down to 66-63, Joplin sank a triple with 5:29 remaining. He then answered a Bulldogs three with a turnaround jumper on the Golden Eagles’ next possession, and Georgia never threatened again.
“I’m happy for Jop,” Smart said. “He’s the guy, of all our players, that I have probably been the hardest on all summer, all fall.
“You’ve heard me talk that there’s more meat on the bone for him. There’s going to be games when he shoots the ball well; there’s going to be games where he doesn’t. That’s just the nature of the volatility of the three-point shot.
“However, I thought the fact that he was locked in on just trying to help his team in more ways than one on the defensive end, trying to do what goes into winning, it’s amazing how the basketball gods reward you with made shots when you do that.”
Ben Gold also gets going from outside
Junior big man Ben Gold also started the season slow from the outside, going 8 for 30 on threes over the first five games.
Against Georgia, he contributed 14 points and six rebounds while also playing good defense on star freshman Asa Newell (nine points and six boards).
“Internally, we understand in our program that there’s going to be ups and downs with shooting,” Smart said. “And we feel like Ben has helped us in every single game, even in games where he’s not shot the ball well from outside.
“Typically from fans and media, there’s an oversized weight put on shooting. I understand that’s what moves the scoreboard, but as we say there’s the other 98% of the game. And Ben, this has been a real adjustment for him to become a starter, becoming a guy that’s playing major minutes.
“And the way that he’s dedicated himself to the other 98% … he got some crucial rebounds early in the game that kind of set the tone for us. And then we want him to take threes. Today he was 4 for 9. If he can get that many good looks, we’ll take it. Between him and Jop, 20 pretty good looks from three, that’s a pretty good recipe for us.”
Chase Ross has been disruptive force
Chase Ross has been a menace on the defensive end. He had five steals against Georgia after notching four in MU’s massive win over Purdue on Tuesday.
He has 21 steals in six, and came into Saturday’s game with 62 deflections, by far the most on the team.
“He’s a playmaker – Chase – on the defensive end,” Smart said. “I think it’s a fine line that he’s continuing to learn.
“Between taking maybe reckless chances and taking the right chances. But Chase is better than that than me or anyone else coaching our team or following our team. So we’re going to continue letting him develop that feel because he’s excellent at it.
“For our team, we had 39 deflections today. We have a deflections culture that’s very, very important to us. And we needed every one of them.”
Kam Jones and Stevie Mitchell battled early foul trouble
There were some anxious moments for MU in the first half when Kam Jones, who was coming off the third triple-double in program history, left briefly with a leg injury.
He and Stevie Mitchell also battled foul trouble in the first half, and the Golden Eagles often looked disjointed without the senior guards.
Jones ended up playing 32 minutes, contributing 10 points and seven assists.
MU relied on its five starters for most of the second half, and Smart wants to see more from the reserves.
“We have continue to build our bench,” Smart said. “We have to continue to build an understanding that when you come off the bench, there has to be a singular focus on helping your team get stops.
“And being, as we say, in the circle, which is when you are at your best in terms of your mentality and your approach. We’ve got young guys still figuring that out, but it’s our job to get them better. It was a good team win today.”
What is FLO Sports? How to watch the Marquette-Georgia game
The unusual non-conference clash has led to an unusual broadcast.
The game is only available on streaming site FLO Sports.
Here are the details on how to watch.
What time is the Marquette-Georgia men’s basketball game?
- Date:Â Saturday, Nov. 23
- Time:Â 10 a.m. CT
The Marquette vs. Georgia game starts at 10 a.m. at Imperial Arena in Nassau, Bahamas.
Marquette vs. Georgia odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday
- ODDS:Â Marquette -6.5
- O/U: 152.5
Marquette-Georgia prediction
This seems like a tough game for Marquette after an emotional victory on Tuesday night against No. 6 Purdue, and then traveling to the Bahamas on Thursday. Georgia is a strong rebounding team with freshman Asa Newell, an area that can give the Golden Eagles trouble. But MU’s ferocious perimeter defense led by Chase Ross and Stevie Mitchell should disrupt the Bulldogs’ offense.
Prediction: Marquette 77, Georgia 68
Marquette’s probable starters
Guards: Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, Chase Ross
Forwards: Ben Gold, David Joplin
Georgia’s probable starters
Guards: Silas Demary, Blue Cain, Tyrin Lawrence
Forwards: Asa Newell, R.J. Godfrey
Marquette’s next five games on schedule
- Nov. 27:Â Stonehill, 8 p.m.
- Nov. 30:Â Western Carolina, 1 p.m.
- Dec. 4:Â at Iowa State, 7 p.m.
- Dec. 7:Â Wisconsin, 12:30 p.m.
- Dec. 14:Â at Dayton, 6 p.m.
