(MARQUETTE COMMUNICATIONS) MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University men’s basketball team (1-0, 0-0 BIG EAST) opened the 2025-26 campaign with an 80-53 victory against UAlbany (0-1, 0-0 America East) on Monday night at Fiserv Forum.
Chase Ross led Marquette with 15 points, five rebounds, and five steals, while Zaide Lowery added 13 points and four rebounds. Damarius Owens scored 11 points, and Tre Norman contributed seven. Ben Gold paced the interior with eight rebounds, and Sean Jones added six points and four assists.
Marquette coach Shaka Smart said that Ross needs to be just as hungry the next tine out.
Smart talked about Ross being the top guy.
Smart talked about playing 12 players.
Both teams opened the game cold from the floor, combining to shoot just 2-for-14, with the Golden Eagles holding a slim early edge. Adrien Stevens helped Marquette build a 12-7 lead with a pair of three-pointers off the bench, while MU attacked the glass with 11 rebounds in the opening eight minutes. The offense found rhythm midway through the half as Ross sparked a 7-2 run with two baskets and a trey to push the advantage to 19-14.
Marquette closed the period strong, using a 9-3 stretch capped by a Josh Clark alley-oop from Ross to extend its lead to nine. The Golden Eagles’ defense set the tone, forcing 13 UAlbany turnovers and holding the Great Danes to just 32 percent shooting. Behind 13 bench points and steady defensive pressure, Marquette entered the locker room with a 30-21 advantage.
The Golden Eagles came out of the intermission on fire, starting the half with a 21-2 run over the opening seven minutes, powered by Lowery and Norman with seven points each. Marquette’s defense continued to apply pressure, forcing seven turnovers while committing none themselves.
UP NEXT
The Golden Eagles wrap up a season-opening two-game homestand on Wednesday, Nov. 5 when the team hosts Southern at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
NOTABLES
- Monday’s outing was the first-ever meeting for the Golden Eagles against UAlbany, and head coach Shaka Smart‘s first-ever matchup with the Great Danes
- MU is now 93-16 all-time in campaign lidlifters, and 5-0 under head coach Shaka Smart
- The Golden Eagles secured their 10th-straight season-opening win dating back to the 2015-16 season
- Marquette’s Sean Jones returned to action for the first time since Jan. 10, 2024 against Butler when he suffered a season-ending knee injury and missed the entire 2024-25 season.
- Caedin Hamilton and Sean Jones made their first-career starts for Marquette
- Nigel James Jr., Josh Clark, Adrien Stevens, Michael Phillips II, and Braeden Brenn all made their MU debuts
- Four Golden Eagles (Ross, 6-6; Norman, 1-1; Lowery, 4-4; Owens, 4-4) went perfect from the free-throw line
- MU set a Fiserv Forum record for steals (18), breaking previous mark of 17 (vs. DePaul Feb. 21, 2024)
- Marquette recorded the most steals in a game (18) since recording 19 against Central Michigan last season
- The Golden Eagles set the Marquette record under Shaka Smart for kills with 13 (three stops in-a-row)
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