15 Marquette Upsets 6 Purdue Behind Kam Jones’ Historic Triple Double

Kam Jones helped 15 Marquette knock off 6 Purdue as he recorded only the third ever Marquette triple-double and the first since Dywane Wade in the 2003 Elite Eight sending them to the Final Four. 

Jones is building an early case to be the Naismith College Player of the Year. He is averaging 22.6 PPG and did a little bit of everything tonight to help Marquette smash a top ten team by 18. Jones recorded 14 of his 17 points in the second half, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, while shooting an efficient 58.3% from the floor. 

Marquette exits with a sparkling Quad 1 win against a team that has historically had their number. 

Not only did Purdue come into Fiserv Forum with a dominant 11-1 record against Marquette all-time, but a 9-1 record against top 15 teams since last year, and a 16-2 record against top 25 teams on the road since 2021. 

Shaka Smart loves to win games by dominating the turnover battle, and that was especially true against Purdue, who entering the contest was posting an abysmal -0.5 turnover margin ranking 231st in the country, while Marquette boasted the 5th best differential at +9.0.

Defensively, Marquette completely overwhelmed Purdue with pressure, forcing 15 turnovers that turned into 18 points for the Golden Eagles. Chase Ross and Stevie Mitchell perfectly executed Shaka’s patented gadfly style of defensive pressure combining for 8 of the team’s 11 steals. 

Mitchell, Marquette’s other sensational senior guard, shined with one of the best overall games of his career posting a game high 21 points in addition to his incredible defense. Early on this season, Mitchell has shown growth in his offensive game by polishing his finishing ability. He even sank all 8 of his free throws. 

Matt Painter’s Boilermakers had to feel great about only trailing Marquette by seven to end the first half, but the Golden Eagles never took their foot off the gas. As Marquette extended their lead to a game high 20, it was fitting that the only remaining drama with five minutes achieved closure as Jones found Mitchell in the corner for a three securing the historic triple-double. 

Marquette is answering questions left by doubters following the departure of cornerstone pieces Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, who were both selected in the 2024 NBA Draft. 

In their absence, Jones and Mitchell now shoulder the responsibility of being the guys the team depends on each night. So far they’ve delivered, as has Ross who was everywhere on the court tonight. 

Ross finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and a block. 

Big man Ben Gold rebounded nicely from a slow start to the season. Coming into tonight’s game, Gold was 5/24 from beyond the arc for an ice cold 20.8%. Tonight, Gold was 3/6, showing more confidence. 

This win should vault Shaka’s team close to a top five rank in the AP Poll should they handle Georgia on Saturday. This win should come as no surprise for Marquette, as Shaka has built a lasting identity in Milwaukee with a team that has been the 2nd best in the NCAA at home vs top 25 teams with a now 12-2 record since 2021. 

Interesting enough, Purdue and Marquette were the only two programs that didn’t land a single transfer among power conference teams last Spring. Relationships. Growth. Victory. Marquette Basketball. 

This win should give Marquette the confidence going forward to continue to play the way they have the last few years. The keys are now in the hands of Jones with Mitchell there to back him up, making Marquette a threat for the Big East crown.

Fun fact: Tony Miller recorded the first Marquette triple-double in 1994.