Kam Jones and No. 8 Marquette Host Creighton in a Big East Battle

It’s about to go down in Milwaukee as No. 8 Marquette takes on Creighton in a Big East clash on Friday night. Both teams are coming off New Year’s Eve wins, but while Marquette is firing on all cylinders, Creighton is still trying to find its rhythm.

Marquette Is Rolling

Marquette (12-2, 3-0 Big East) is on a tear right now. On Tuesday, they crushed Providence 78-50 on the road, breaking a six-year losing streak at Providence. Talk about starting the year off with a bang!

Kam Jones was the star of the show, racking up 18 points and 10 assists. He’s been unstoppable this season, ranking second in the Big East with 20.1 points and 6.6 assists per game.

What sets Marquette apart is their ability to take care of the ball. They average just 8.9 turnovers per game while forcing their opponents into 16.4. That’s led to an average of 20.1 points off turnovers—a stat that could play a huge role in this game.

Creighton’s Struggles with Consistency

Creighton (9-5, 2-1 Big East) got a win against St. John’s on Tuesday, but it wasn’t pretty. The Bluejays squeaked by 57-56 in a defensive slugfest.

Turnovers are Creighton’s Achilles’ heel. They average nearly 14 per game, and against St. John’s, they coughed it up 19 times. Steven Ashworth had a rough outing, scoring 18 points but committing 10 turnovers.

Even with the struggles, Creighton has two standout players:

• Ryan Kalkbrenner: The big man is a force in the paint, averaging 17.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
• Steven Ashworth: Despite his turnover woes, Ashworth is putting up 17.1 points and 6.2 assists per game.

Creighton head coach Greg McDermott is focused on staying resilient:
“Sometimes, you just don’t have your best stuff, but the key is finding a way to grind out a win. That’s what we did against St. John’s.”

Key Matchups to Watch

1. Kam Jones vs. Steven Ashworth
   Jones is a dual-threat who can score and facilitate, while Ashworth is looking to bounce back from his turnover-heavy game.
2. Kalkbrenner’s Presence in the Paint
   Creighton’s big man could give Marquette trouble inside. Can the Golden Eagles find a way to neutralize him?
3. Turnover Battle
   Marquette thrives on forcing turnovers, and Creighton has been turnover-prone all season. This matchup could decide the game.

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The History Between These Teams

Marquette leads the all-time series 59-40, a rivalry that dates back to 1923. However, Creighton got the last laugh in March, winning 89-75 at home. Both teams were missing key players in that game, but Kalkbrenner and Jones still had big nights, scoring 19 and 23 points respectively.

What’s at Stake?

For Marquette, it’s all about keeping the momentum going and solidifying their spot as a Big East powerhouse. For Creighton, this game is a chance to show they can compete with the conference’s best and clean up their inconsistencies.

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Final Take

Marquette is clearly the favorite with their strong offense, tough defense, and home-court advantage. But if Creighton can limit turnovers and dominate in the paint, they could make this a close one.

Can Marquette stay hot, or will Creighton pull off the upset? Tune in Friday night to find out!