Photo: JMU Athletics
James Madison basketball experienced contrasting results on Saturday (January 31), as the women cruised to a dominant home win while the men battled short-handed in a tough road loss.
The James Madison Dukes Women's basketball delivered one of their strongest performances of the season, rolling past the South Alabama Jaguars women's basketball 88–52 inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center. The Dukes controlled the game from the opening tip, shooting nearly 58 percent from the field and posting a season-high mark from three-point range.
Peyton McDaniel led the way with 22 points and five assists, while Ashanti Barnes added 18 points on near-perfect shooting to go with nine rebounds and strong defense. Bree Robinson, Grace McDonough, and Kylie Marshall also reached double figures as JMU placed five players in double-digit scoring.
After jumping out to a 23–8 lead in the first quarter, the Dukes never let up. A massive 19–0 run bridging the second and third quarters put the game out of reach, as JMU built a lead that reached as many as 46 points. The team’s pressure defense and balanced offense fueled another convincing conference victory.
On the road, the James Madison Dukes Men's basketball faced a much tougher challenge. Playing with only eight available players, JMU fell 73–65 to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles men's basketball at Reed Green Coliseum.
The Dukes struggled offensively in the first half and entered the break trailing 29–21. After halftime, JMU responded with a 13–2 run that briefly gave them the lead midway through the second half. However, Southern Miss answered with a decisive run of its own and regained control.
Bradley Douglas and Cliff Davis paced JMU with 18 points apiece, while Eddie Ricks III and Christian Brown led the team on the boards. The Dukes had difficulty finding rhythm from long range, connecting on just four three-pointers, while Southern Miss capitalized at the free-throw line to secure the win.
Despite the loss, JMU showed resilience under challenging circumstances, while the women’s squad continued its strong push in Sun Belt play.