MILWAUKEE — A remarkable streak that had endured for nearly four years came to a halt on Tuesday night. Purdue basketball's consecutive regular season non-conference victory run, which began in December 2020 and reached an astonishing 39 games, finally came to an end. No. 14 Marquette's tenacious defense held the Boilermaker offense, which had been averaging 85.3 points per game, in check. Led by senior guard Kam Jones' all-encompassing game and a suffocating defense, the Golden Eagles emerged victorious with a 76 - 58 score over the sixth-ranked Purdue. Turning Point at Marquette for Purdue Basketball
During the second half, when Purdue trailed by five, they had two opportunities. David Joplin's steal took away one of those chances, and on the subsequent possession, CJ Cox missed a midrange jumper. In the next 23 seconds, Stevie Mitchell made four free throws, pushing Marquette's lead back up by nine. Given Marquette's defense, making up such a margin in just 10 minutes seemed nearly impossible.Return of Turnover Woes
After committing double-digit turnovers in three consecutive games at the start of the season, Purdue believed they had turned a corner last Friday when they had only three turnovers in their win over Alabama. However, they then faced Marquette's defense. Passing lanes that had been previously available suddenly disappeared, and the floor spacing that Purdue typically relied on was taken away. By halftime, the Boilermakers had already accumulated nine turnovers, resulting in 10 Marquette points. Matt Painter has repeatedly emphasized that for Purdue to be a good team, they need to keep their turnovers in single digits.Kam Jones - The Key for Marquette
Purdue's defense was determined to prevent Jones, who came into the game averaging 24 points per game, from having a big game. Jones made just one field goal in the first half but managed to pull down seven rebounds and dish out six assists. In the end, he finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. His all-around performance was crucial in Marquette's victory.Fletcher Loyer - A Consistent Scorer for Purdue
Loyer has now scored in double figures in five consecutive games, matching the longest streak of his career. As a freshman in January 2023, he had achieved the same feat over five consecutive Big Ten games. Although his final stats in this game weren't as solid as in his previous four games this season, he hit some crucial shots early when Purdue was struggling to generate offense. He finished with 13 points.Stevie Mitchell - The Steal Machine for Marquette
It wasn't only Mitchell's game-high 21 points that earned him a place in this list. He tied with teammate Chase Ross with a game-high four steals. His defensive prowess and ability to create turnovers played a significant role in Marquette's success.Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
