Marquette 80, San Jose State 62
Team Leaders
Points: Sandy Cohen (24)
Rebounds: Luke Fischer (13)
Assists: Traci Carter (6)
Sandy Cohen starts hot, then cools down
Sandy Cohen started the game on a tear, scoring 17 points in the first eight minutes for Marquette. Six minutes in, he had already hit four of his five three-point attempts, and was responsible for six of the team’s first nine baskets.
He wasn’t able to keep up that high octane pace after he was taken out of the game following the run. He went on a 17-minute scoring drought but still managed to add seven points in the second half. He said heading to the bench may have disrupted his rhythm a bit.
Traci Carter takes step back
Freshman Traci Carter had made real progress in the past few games for the Golden Eagles, evolving from a player who made you nervous whenever he touched the ball, to a capable distributor at the Legends Classic and a solid shooter in post-Brooklyn non-conference games. Tonight he wasn’t much a scoring threat from the start.
Carter shot 2-of-8 with a team-leading four turnovers. The game featured some moments he’d like to forget, like an air ball on a three-point attempt and a shot that went all the way over the backboard. He still managed to lead the team in assists, which is a good sign for the young point guard. When things went bad for him at the start of the season, they went really bad. There are now positives even on his off days.
Rebounds need work
The Golden Eagles out-rebounded the Spartans, but just barely. Marquette grabbed 46 boards to San Jose State’s 42, but continued their issues with rebounding close to the basket. There were multiple instances where the Spartans were able to grab two or three rebounds in a row, despite the Golden Eagles impressive bigs. Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes will be a big test inside for Marquette on Saturday.
High profile guests
Three members of the Clippers organization were in attendance at the game, including head coach and former Marquette player Doc Rivers. He was joined near the bench by his son, Austin Rivers, and former Milwaukee Buck J.J. Redick. Los Angeles is in town to play the Bucks Wednesday night.
Austin Rivers and Redick met with the Golden Eagles in the locker room after the game, and Rivers commented on Cohen’s three point success tonight.
“He said ‘You had to have a couple heat checks in there,’” Cohen said.
Rivers wasn’t the only former Marquette player in attendance, as former Marquette forward Don Kojis was also recognized. Like Rivers, his number hangs up in the rafters at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
