Marquette 74, Presbyterian 55: Joseph Chartouny helps get the Golden Eagles rolling
The good news for Marquette is that graduate transfer Joseph Chartouny feels more comfortable on the court.
The senior point guard's all-around effort helped carry the Golden Eagles to a 74-55 victory over Presbyterian at Fiserv Forum.
The bad news is that MU (3-1) needed Chartouny to help settle things down after another horrid start.
In the first half against the Blue Hose (3-2), the Golden Eagles had more turnovers (eight) than field goals (seven). They also missed their first 12 three-pointers.
So angst was high among the home fans with MU trailing, 43-37, and just 12:44 remaining in the game.
BOX SCORE: Marquette 74, Presbyterian 55
"Even though things didn't go our way the first half, we were not making any shots, we stayed with it," Chartouny said. "And then the fact that this group came back, being down (six) points without momentum at all, shows how we're growing and we're getting better."
Chartouny hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 43-43 and that sparked a run that allowed MU to take control. When he hit another three-pointer at the 7:45 mark, the Golden Eagles had a 55-46 advantage.
"One of the things we've said from the beginning: The strength of our team is our team," MU coach Steve Wojciechowski said. "You never know on a given night who is going to be the guy to step up and be the spark plug or catalyst.
"And tonight that was Joseph. Obviously, a lot of guys had to make really good plays for us to win, especially given the circumstances of the game. But I thought Joseph's play was outstanding.
"A lot of people are going to point to his shots; I just thought his poise and his presence really settled our team down when we were rattled."
Chartouny finished with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. He shot 3 of 4 on three-pointers.
"Obviously, when you see the ball go in, it helps you feel good and helps your confidence go up," Chartouny said. "You can't just rely on scoring, sometimes you're not going to be able to score so you have to do other stuff to get yourself going.
"That's where I have to find my good thing. I have to find the good things to get myself going. If it's making a shot, I'll try to make as many shots as possible."
Chartouny had missed all four of his three-point attempts and tallied just four assists over MU's first three games.
It was been an adjustment for a point guard who played on a slow-paced Fordham team in the mid-major Atlantic 10 Conference.
"Just the competition, practices, very different," Chartouny said. "More high level. Coaches are really pushing me hard."
Wojciechowski has seen graduate transfers struggle before.
"It takes time for them to get their footing," he said. "We've had two really good grad transfers here in Matt Carlino and Katin Reinhardt.
"And, if you recall, the first month or so of the season, they had their struggles, but ended up being really good players for us by the end of the year.
"So Joseph, even though he has played college basketball, 1) he hasn't played it at this level with this intensity and 2) he's still trying to find his way. That's normal but I think today was a positive step in the right direction."
After a terrible start and listless performance against Indiana, Wojciechowski switched up his starting lineup. He inserted sophomore Jamal Cain and freshman Joey Hauser alongside Sam Hauser, Markus Howard and Theo John.
Junior Sacar Anim and freshman Brendan Bailey had been starters in the previous three games.
But it was the lineup of Chartouny, Howard, John and the Hauser brothers that played the last 12:44 of the game and lifted MU out of its morass.
Sam Hauser scored 15 of his team-high 19 points in the second half. Younger brother Joey carried the team early with 10 of his 13 coming in the first half of his first collegiate start.
"They're really good players and when they're on the floor we're a better team," Wojciechowski said.