Marquette feeling 'connected' for opener vs. Radford
The second year of the Shaka Smart era at Marquette begins much like the first -- with the Golden Eagles picked to finish ninth in the Big East.
Marquette looks to once again exceed expectations, beginning with Monday night's season opener against visiting Radford in Milwaukee.
"We've got a really connected group right now, but we haven't played any games yet," Smart said at the team's media day. "We haven't been tested or challenged yet by outside competition, other than closed scrimmages."
Marquette tied for fifth last season in the Big East, finishing 19-13 overall and earning an NCAA bid.
The Golden Eagles will have to replace forward Justin Lewis, who led with 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and guard Darryl Morsell, second in scoring at 13.4.
Key returnees include sophomore guard Kam Jones (7.4 ppg), junior guard Tyler Kolek, (6.7 ppg) and 6-8 junior forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (6.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg).
Graduate transfer Zach Wrightsil, a 6-7 forward, was the NAIA Player of the Year after averaging 18.7 points and 8.8 rebounds at Loyola (New Orleans) last season.
Darris Nichols enters his second season as coach at Radford, picked sixth in the Big South preseason poll.
Radford went 11-18 last season, including 7-9 in the Big South, but has been bolstered by the addition of seven transfers.
The Highlanders return leading scorer Josiah Jeffers, a 6-1 senior guard who averaged 10.0 points per game, and leading rebounder Shaquan Jules, who averaged 4.6 boards.
Transfers include guard DaQuan Smith, who averaged 3.5 points in 33 games at Murray State. Graduate transfer guard Onyebuchi Ezeakudo averaged 18.7 minutes per game last season at Pitt; and junior guard Bryan Antoine, a former five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American, appeared in 20 games last season for Villanova after missing all of November and parts of December due to a knee injury.
"We tried to get guys from winning programs, that come from maybe a higher level," Nichols told the Roanoke Times. "Come over here and you can have a bigger role possibly."
Freshman Ibu Yamazaki, a 6-7 forward, averaged 14.6 points and four rebounds for Japan's U19 team at the 2021 FIBA World Cup.
Radford rolled past Mary Baldwin 114-54 in an exhibition game Tuesday, shooting 66.7 percent with a commanding 42-19 rebound advantage.
--Field Level Media
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Shaquan Jules vs. Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Golden Eagles gains possession) | ||
| 19:43 | | +3 | Kam Jones makes three point jump shot (Tyler Kolek assists) | 0-3 |
| 19:12 |  | +2 | Bryan Antoine makes two point jump shot (Onyebuchi Ezeakudo assists) | 2-3 |
| 19:03 | | Josiah Jeffers personal foul | ||
| 18:59 | | Shaquan Jules blocks Tyler Kolek's two point layup | ||
| 18:57 | | Oso Ighodaro offensive rebound | ||
| 18:50 | | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point layup | 2-5 |
| 18:41 | | DaQuan Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:39 | | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 18:25 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 18:18 | | +2 | Shaquan Jules makes two point jump shot (Josiah Jeffers assists) | 4-5 |
| 18:08 | | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point jump shot | 4-7 |
| 18:08 | | Josiah Jeffers shooting foul (Oso Ighodaro draws the foul) | ||
| 18:08 | | Oso Ighodaro misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 18:08 | | Shaquan Jules defensive rebound | ||
| 17:42 | | Kenyon Giles misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:40 | | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 17:29 | | Stevie Mitchell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:27 | | DaQuan Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 17:01 | | DaQuan Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:59 | | Tyler Kolek defensive rebound | ||
| 16:52 | | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup (Tyler Kolek assists) | 4-9 |
| 16:37 | | DaQuan Smith misses two point layup | ||
| 16:35 | | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | ||
| 16:28 | | Oso Ighodaro turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 16:06 | | Bryan Antoine misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:04 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper defensive rebound | ||
| 15:57 | | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:55 | | Bryan Antoine defensive rebound | ||
| 15:49 | | +2 | Kenyon Giles makes two point jump shot (Bryan Antoine assists) | 6-9 |
| 15:43 | | Kam Jones turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 15:43 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:23 | | Bryan Antoine misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:21 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper defensive rebound | ||
| 14:54 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:52 | | Bryan Antoine defensive rebound | ||
| 14:31 | | +2 | Kenyon Giles makes two point jump shot | 8-9 |
| 14:16 | | Bryan Antoine personal foul (Tyler Kolek draws the foul) | ||
| 14:08 | | Zach Wrightsil turnover (lost ball) (Madiaw Niang steals) | ||
| 13:59 | | Chase Ross shooting foul (Onyebuchi Ezeakudo draws the foul) | ||
| 13:59 | | Onyebuchi Ezeakudo misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 13:59 | | Onyebuchi Ezeakudo misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 13:59 | | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | ||
| 13:49 | | Onyebuchi Ezeakudo shooting foul (Tyler Kolek draws the foul) | ||
| 13:49 | | +1 | Tyler Kolek makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 8-10 |
| 13:49 | | +1 | Tyler Kolek makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 8-11 |
| 13:49 | | +1 | Tyler Kolek makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 8-12 |
| 13:38 | | Tyler Kolek shooting foul (Souleymane Koureissi draws the foul) | ||
| 13:38 | | +1 | Souleymane Koureissi makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-12 |
| 13:38 | | Souleymane Koureissi misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 13:38 | | Oso Ighodaro defensive rebound | ||
| 13:15 | | Onyebuchi Ezeakudo personal foul (Oso Ighodaro draws the foul) | ||
| 13:10 | | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point dunk (Kam Jones assists) | 9-14 |
| 12:50 | | +2 | Bryan Antoine makes two point layup | 11-14 |
| 12:42 | | +3 | Chase Ross makes three point jump shot (Sean Jones assists) | 11-17 |
| 12:23 | | Sean Jones personal foul (DaQuan Smith draws the foul) | ||
| 12:12 | | +3 | DaQuan Smith makes three point jump shot | 14-17 |
| 11:59 | | +3 | Kam Jones makes three point jump shot (Sean Jones assists) | 14-20 |
| 11:39 | | Shaquan Jules turnover (bad pass) (David Joplin steals) | ||
| 11:35 | | Shaquan Jules blocks David Joplin's two point layup | ||
| 11:35 | | Golden Eagles offensive rebound | ||
| 11:35 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:32 | | Kam Jones misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:30 | | DaQuan Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 11:24 | | DaQuan Smith turnover (bad pass) (Oso Ighodaro steals) | ||
| 11:22 | | Sean Jones turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 11:06 | | Kenyon Giles misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:04 | | David Joplin defensive rebound | ||
| 11:03 | | Ibu Yamakazi personal foul (David Joplin draws the foul) | ||
| 10:53 | | Sean Jones misses two point layup | ||
| 10:51 | | Kenyon Giles defensive rebound | ||
| 10:46 | | DaQuan Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:44 | | Kam Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 10:38 | | +2 | Kam Jones makes two point layup | 14-22 |
| 10:18 | | +2 | Kenyon Giles makes two point jump shot (Ibu Yamakazi assists) | 16-22 |
| 10:05 | | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:03 | | DaQuan Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 9:39 | | Ibu Yamakazi misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:37 | | Kam Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 9:16 | | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point layup (David Joplin assists) | 16-24 |
| 8:53 | | +2 | DaQuan Smith makes two point jump shot (Kenyon Giles assists) | 18-24 |
| 8:37 | | Oso Ighodaro misses two point layup | ||
| 8:35 | | Shaquan Jules defensive rebound | ||
| 8:25 | | DaQuan Smith turnover (lost ball) (Sean Jones steals) | ||
| 8:17 | | Sean Jones misses two point layup | ||
| 8:15 | | Kenyon Giles defensive rebound | ||
| 8:09 | | DaQuan Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:07 | | Kam Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 7:57 | | Chase Ross misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:55 | | DaQuan Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 7:40 | | Oso Ighodaro personal foul (Shaquan Jules draws the foul) | ||
| 7:40 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:40 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper personal foul (Souleymane Koureissi draws the foul) | ||
| 7:38 | | Bryan Antoine misses two point jump shot | ||
| 7:36 | | Tyler Kolek defensive rebound | ||
| 7:25 | | Ben Gold misses two point layup | ||
| 7:23 | | Souleymane Koureissi defensive rebound | ||
| 7:10 | | Onyebuchi Ezeakudo misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:08 | | Ben Gold defensive rebound | ||
| 6:58 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper turnover (lost ball) (Onyebuchi Ezeakudo steals) | ||
| 6:32 | | +2 | Souleymane Koureissi makes two point layup (Josiah Jeffers assists) | 20-24 |
| 6:16 | | Madiaw Niang blocks Stevie Mitchell's two point layup | ||
| 6:14 | | Tyler Kolek offensive rebound | ||
| 6:02 | | +2 | Tyler Kolek makes two point layup | 20-26 |
| 5:55 | | Josiah Jeffers turnover (bad pass) (Ben Gold steals) | ||
| 5:52 | | Tyler Kolek offensive foul (Josiah Jeffers draws the foul) | ||
| 5:52 | | Tyler Kolek turnover | ||
| 5:39 | | +2 | DaQuan Smith makes two point jump shot | 22-26 |
| 5:27 | | +2 | Sean Jones makes two point layup | 22-28 |
| 5:18 | | +2 | Souleymane Koureissi makes two point jump shot | 24-28 |
| 5:07 | | +2 | Oso Ighodaro makes two point layup (Stevie Mitchell assists) | 24-30 |
| 4:46 | | Souleymane Koureissi offensive foul (Olivier-Maxence Prosper draws the foul) | ||
| 4:46 | | Souleymane Koureissi turnover | ||
| 4:43 | | Kenyon Giles personal foul (Sean Jones draws the foul) | ||
| 4:41 | | +1 | Sean Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-31 |
| 4:41 | | +1 | Sean Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-32 |
| 4:24 | | Oso Ighodaro blocks Onyebuchi Ezeakudo's two point layup | ||
| 4:22 | | Shaquan Jules offensive rebound | ||
| 3:59 | | Souleymane Koureissi turnover | ||
| 4:04 | | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:02 | | DaQuan Smith defensive rebound | ||
| 3:55 | | Shaquan Jules misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:53 | | Stevie Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 3:48 | | Stevie Mitchell misses two point layup | ||
| 3:46 | | Stevie Mitchell offensive rebound | ||
| 3:41 | | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point layup | 24-34 |
| 3:10 | | DaQuan Smith misses two point layup | ||
| 3:10 | | Souleymane Koureissi personal foul (David Joplin draws the foul) | ||
| 3:10 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:10 | | +1 | David Joplin makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-35 |
| 3:10 | | +1 | David Joplin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-36 |
| 3:00 | | Highlanders turnover (10-second violation) | ||
| 2:49 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:47 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper offensive rebound | ||
| 2:39 | | Olivier-Maxence Prosper misses two point layup | ||
| 2:37 | | Shaquan Jules defensive rebound | ||
| 2:30 | | DaQuan Smith turnover (bad pass) (Stevie Mitchell steals) | ||
| 2:21 | | Sean Jones turnover (bad pass) (Shaquan Jules steals) | ||
| 2:18 | | Stevie Mitchell personal foul (Josiah Jeffers draws the foul) | ||
| 2:18 | | +1 | Josiah Jeffers makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-36 |
| 2:18 | | +1 | Josiah Jeffers makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-36 |
| 1:57 | | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point jump shot | 26-38 |
| 1:34 | | Oso Ighodaro shooting foul (Shaquan Jules draws the foul) | ||
| 1:34 | | +1 | Shaquan Jules makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-38 |
| 1:34 | | +1 | Shaquan Jules makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-38 |
| 1:29 | | David Joplin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:27 | | Shaquan Jules defensive rebound | ||
| 1:19 | | +3 | Bryan Antoine makes three point jump shot (Josiah Jeffers assists) | 31-38 |
| 1:03 | | +2 | Stevie Mitchell makes two point jump shot (Kam Jones assists) | 31-40 |
| 0:52 | | Josiah Jeffers misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:50 | | Kam Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 0:43 | | Stevie Mitchell offensive foul | ||
| 0:43 | | Stevie Mitchell turnover | ||
| 0:40 | | +3 | Josiah Jeffers makes three point jump shot | 34-40 |
| 0:29 | | +2 | Olivier-Maxence Prosper makes two point dunk (Kam Jones assists) | 34-42 |
| 0:20 | | Highlanders 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:04 | | DaQuan Smith misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:02 | | Sean Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | Golden Eagles 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:01 | | David Joplin turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |