Game Story; JMU 65, Richmond 64

Saturday, January 29

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James Madison University

12-6, 6-2

Richmond

10-9, 5-3

RICHMOND

JAMES MADISON

1/29/2000 1:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. (1/29/2000) – Mickey Dennis' three-point field goal with one second to play gave JMU a 65-64 win over Richmond and allowed the Dukes to take sole possession of second place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Dennis had eight points during the final nine minutes as JMU erased a seven-point deficit, and he finished with 14 points, his second-best scoring effort as a JMU player.

Dennis' decisive field goal came after Richmond took a 64-62 lead on Kinte Smith's layup with 41.8 seconds left and a JMU turnover with 19.2 seconds to play that apparently had put Richmond in control. However, the Spiders' Greg Stevenson missed on the first shot of a one-and-one free throw chance with 18.5 seconds remaining, and JMU's Ian Caskill rebounded, giving JMU its opportunity to go in front. Dennis scored from the corner after JMU inbounded the ball at midcourt following a timeout by each team with 12.5 seconds to play.

Dennis hit on five of six shots overall, including two of three from three-point range. JMU also got team highs of 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Jabari Outtz and 14 points from Jamar Perry.

The Dukes shot 51.0 percent (25-49), their second 50-percent shooting effort of 1999-2000, and had a 32-23 rebounding edge, but Richmond led for most of the final half behind strong three-point shooting. The Spiders had 11 three-pointers (27 tries), including a six-of-11 effort from long range by Reggie Brown, who had a game-high 21 points. Brown had hit on only three of 27 three-point tries during Richmond's previous seven CAA games.

The Spiders used a 24-12 scoring burst to take a 48-41 lead midway through the final half and led 50-43 a minute later and 62-57 with 3:51 left.

JMU held Richmond's top two scorers – Stevenson and Smith – to a combined 18 points. Stevenson, the league's top scorer with a 19.9 average, had 13 points and nine rebounds. Smith, a 12.1 scorer entering the game, didn't have a field goal before the final minute and finished with five points. Richmond shot 45.3 percent (24-53).