“Marquette bounces back in a big way with 81-51 victory over Georgetown”
After suffering a disappointing loss to Providence earlier in the week, Marquette men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart was determined to see his team display better connectivity and cohesiveness on the court. His players delivered on Friday night with a dominant 81-51 win over Georgetown at Fiserv Forum.
The Golden Eagles, now 10-3 overall and 1-1 in Big East play, demonstrated significant improvement in their performance. Against Providence, they had only managed seven assists, but against Georgetown, they racked up an impressive 22 assists.
According to Smart, the team was much more connected and clear in their understanding of how to play as a unit, rather than focusing solely on individual statistics.
Ben Gold came off the bench to provide a spark for Marquette, hitting three-pointers and helping to kickstart the team’s offense. The Golden Eagles led 41-24 at halftime and continued to dominate in the second half.
Smart also praised David Joplin for his performance, particularly highlighting his offensive rebounding and all-around contribution to the game. Joplin finished with 20 points and made significant strides in his rebounding efforts.
Notably, Marquette played their fourth consecutive game without starting guard Stevie Mitchell, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
While Marquette celebrated their victory, Georgetown’s head coach Ed Cooley expressed deep disappointment in his team’s performance. He criticized their lack of fight, resilience, and overall poor performance, emphasizing that the team did not show up to play.
Despite the tough loss, Cooley acknowledged Marquette’s strong performance and credited them for playing like a seasoned and determined team.
Next up, Marquette will take a break for the holidays before returning to face Creighton on December 30. The team is hopeful for the return of Stevie Mitchell, whose absence has been felt in their recent games.