Marquette will host Southern for their second game of the season on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, following a day of rest for both teams after their season openers. The Golden Eagles started strong, securing an impressive 80-53 victory against Albany on Monday.
Chase Ross, a preseason first-team selection in the Big East, shone in the opener, scoring 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting along with contributing five assists and five steals. Zaide Lowery also played well, adding 13 points to the scoreboard. Marquette’s head coach Shaka Smart praised his team’s performance, emphasizing that the key to a successful opener lies in maintaining their spirit and energy, followed by cultural representation, defense, and offense. “I thought our guys did a nice job of getting the order right,” Smart remarked, acknowledging the challenge of a quick turnaround as they prepare for Game 2.
Despite a shaky start where they shot only 32.3% from the floor and a mere 3-for-17 from three-point range in the first half, Marquette showcased significant improvement in the second half, hitting 51.9% of their shots. The Golden Eagles also achieved 13 “kills,” documenting three consecutive defensive stops, which reflects a high standard for Smart’s coaching tenure.
On the other hand, Southern faced a tough match against the No. 14 ranked Arkansas, suffering a 109-77 defeat. Michael Jacobs stood out for Southern, scoring 22 points on 6-of-14 shooting and adding four assists. Fazl Oshodi supported with 15 points while DaMariee Jones chipped in nine. Southern’s head coach Kevin Johnson was unable to accompany the team due to illness, leaving assistant coach Jethro Hillman to handle coaching duties for both games.
Preseason forecasts suggest a promising year for Southern, as they were picked to finish second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Jacobs was recognized as a preseason first-team selection after averaging 11.3 points and 2.8 assists per game last season. With both teams coming off challenging games, fans can expect an exciting matchup in Milwaukee on Wednesday.