Game Story; JMU 94, Virginia Military 84

Saturday, December 29

Richmond, Va.

TBA

James Madison University

7-3

VMI

5-5

JAMES MADISON

VIRGINIA MILITARY

12/29/2001 12:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. (12/29/2001) – David Fanning scored 23 points during the final 13:32, and JMU rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit for a 94-84 win over Virginia Military Institute in the championship game of the University of Richmond's Spider Invitational at the Robins Center.

The Dukes trailed 54-43 before rallying behind outstanding three-point shooting by Fanning, who finished with 26 points and helped JMU to a 65.6 percent (21-32) shooting mark during the second half. The Dukes hit on eight of 12 three-point attempts during the final period.

Fanning had only three points during the first 26 minutes, but he had four of his seven three-point field goals during a 26-6 scoring burst that gave JMU control. He ignited the rally with a three-pointer with 13:32 left, got JMU to within 55-53 with a three-pointer with 11:41 to play, gave the Dukes a 59-55 edge with a three-pointer at the 10:36 mark and put his team in front to stay, 62-60, with a three-pointer with 9:28 remaining. His layup with 6:59 left capped the 26-6 run and gave JMU a 69-60 lead.

Fanning added three-pointers on consecutive JMU possessions at the 4:34 and 4:05 marks to keep the Dukes' lead at 10, 79-69.

VMI got as close as 79-74 with 3:05 left and 89-84 with 0:29 left, but JMU responded each time. The Dukes got a field goal and a free throw from both Dwayne Broyles and Tim Lyle to up the 79-74 lead to 85-76 with 2:05 left and got the game's final five points after VMI got to within 89-84. Fanning hit on two free throws with 27 seconds left for a 91-84 JMU advantage; Chris Williams had a free throw with 19 seconds left; and Jerian Younger scored on a break-away dunk with two seconds remaining.

Pat Mitchell helped keep JMU close until the Dukes took control with their outside scoring, and he joined Fanning on the all-tournament team. Mitchell finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds – his third double-double of the season – after having 11 points and 12 rebounds during the first half. Mitchell hit on each of his seven field goal tries.

Broyles also finished with 19 points, and Tim Lyle had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Dukes. Broyles had two three-pointers and hit on nine of 11 free throws, and Lyle had two three-pointers.

JMU shot 53.3 percent overall (32-60) and 47.8 percent (11-23) from three-point range and had a 41-31 rebounding edge. VMI shot 42.6 percent overall (26-61) and 33.3 percent (12-36) from three-point range. The Keydets got 35 points from tournament most valuable player Jason Conley, whose two three-pointers during the final 20 seconds lifted his team over Richmond in the tournament's first round. Conley hit on 12 of 28 shots, including three of 15 three-point tries.

VMI's 36 three-point field goal attempts set a JMU-opponent game record.