Game Story; Hofstra 69, JMU 66

Wednesday, January 21

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Hofstra

James Madison

1/21/2004 1:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. (1/21/2004) – JMU was one charging call and a free throw away from making up a 23-point deficit, but Hofstra held on for a 69-66 victory.

The Dukes twice trailed by 23 points during the second half, the last 54-31 with 10:36 remaining. Daniel Freeman scored 10 of his game-high 19 points during the comeback, but it was two that were waved off with 20 seconds remaining that were pivotal to the outcome.

Trailing 66-63, the Dukes rebounded a missed shot by the Pride, and Freeman quickly moved down court. He drove to the basket and scored but was called for the charge. Instead of being awarded the basket and a free throw, the Dukes were faced with a turnover and the necessity to foul.

Hofstra went up 67-63 as Wendell Gibson hit on the first of two free throws after being fouled on the ensuing inbounds play. The Dukes rebounded Gibson's miss but missed on a three-point try. Kenny Adeleke was fouled after the rebound and sank two free throws, making him 8-for-11 from the line, for a 69-63 Pride lead with just over three seconds to play. An uncontested three-pointer at the buzzer by JMU's Chris Williams accounted for the final margin.

Hofstra's Loren Stokes and Gibson finished with double-doubles, getting 18 points each to go with 11 and 10 rebounds, respectively. The figures were career highs for Stokes. Adeleke added 14 points and Carlos Rivera 10 for Hofstra.

Freeman scored the game's first five points but was limited to seven minutes during the first half after picking up his second foul with 8:13 to play in the period. JMU was down 20-16 at the time but trailed 33-20 at halftime.

Williams was the only other JMU player in double figures in scoring with 12 points. Freeman matched his career-high for points and scored in double figures for the fourth time in five games.

Freeman hit on five of 12 shots from the field and on eight straight free throws. Williams hit on five of nine shots. The Dukes also got a JMU-career-high nine rebounds from David Cooper.

The Pride out-rebounded JMU 48-29. JMU shot only 29.0 percent (9-31) during the first half and 34.8 percent (23-66) overall. JMU's only miss of 15 free throw attempts came with 1:27 to play, while trailing 66-63, but Williams tracked down his own miss to give the Dukes another possession, which ended with a missed three-point attempt by Freeman.

Hofstra's win was its first in five series meetings.