Game Story; JMU 83, Towson 71

Wednesday, February 20

Towson, Md.

TBA

James Madison University

13-12, 6-10CAA

Towson

9-17, 5-11CAA

JAMES MADISON

TOWSON

2/20/2002 12:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. (2/20/2002) – Jerian Younger scored a career-high 23 points, and JMU preserved its lead by hitting on eight straight free throws during the final 1:21 to win 83-71 at Towson.

Younger, who hadn't scored more than 13 points in a game for the Dukes previously during the season, hit on nine of 16 shots and had two three-point field goals, five rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in 27 minutes off the bench. His previous career scoring high had been 21 the previous season at Vanderbilt.

After six second-half lead changes, JMU built a 73-65 edge, mainly on Younger's 16 second-half points. Towson got to within 73-67 and 75-69 with 1:24 left before JMU sealed the win from the foul line. David Fanning hit on two free throws with 1:21 and 0:49 left, and Chris Williams hit on two with 1:03 to play and Younger on two with 29 seconds remaining.

JMU had gone in front to stay at 60-59 on a Fanning layup with 8:13 left after Towson erased a 10-point early deficit to get to within 35-33 by halftime and take a 44-39 lead less than four minutes into the final half.

JMU rallied to lead 56-49 at the 11:57 mark of the second half, but Towson came back to twice lead by a point before Fanning's field goal with 8:13 to play.

JMU shot 66.7 percent (18-27) during the second half and 53.4 percent (31-58) overall, its second-best mark of the season.

The Dukes' shooting helped them overcome 20 turnovers, their most in a game since having 23 at East Tennessee State Dec. 15. Their late-game free throw shooting also was a significant improvement over earlier during the game when they hit on only eight of their first 19 attempts.

Joining Younger in double figures in scoring for JMU were Fanning with 15 points, Pat Mitchell with 13 and Ian Caskill with 10. Mitchell and Caskill each had seven rebounds, and Caskill blocked five shots.

Sam Sutton led four Towson players in double figures in scoring with 18 points.