HOFSTRA BEATS DUKES 88-67 IN MEN'S CAA BASKETBALL

Thursday, January 5

Hempstead, N.Y.

TBA

James Madison University

3-8, 0-3CAA

Hofstra

9-2, 2-1CAA

James Madison

Hofstra

1/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 5, 2006 – Forwards Aurimas Kieza and Mike Davis-Sabb scored career highs 24 and 16 points, respectively, to lead Hofstra to an 87-66 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball victory over James Madison Thursday.

Aurimas hit on eight of 11 shots overall and had four of the Pride's 10 three-point field goals in 34 minutes. He hit on each of his three-point attempts and led five Hofstra players in double figures in scoring.

Davis-Sabb, who was making his first career start, hit on six of seven shots and had a team-leading six rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes. He had scored only 11 points in Hofstra's first 10 games.

The Pride (9-2 overall, 2-1 CAA) scored the game's first 10 points and led 20-7 after less than eight minutes. JMU (3-8, 0-3) pulled to within 20-15 at the 9:36 mark of the first half and trailed only 30-24 with 4:38 left in the period before a 10-4 burst gave Hofstra a 40-28 halftime advantage.

JMU got to within 40-32 on a field goal by freshman forward Juwann James (Jacksonville, Fla./Raines) and two free throws by sophomore center Gabriel Chami (Cordoba, Argentina/New Hampton). However, Antoine Agudio had two three-pointers during an 8-0 run that gave the Pride a 48-32 lead, and JMU never was closer than 14 points again.

Hofstra hit on 10 of 19 three-point shots (52.6 percent) and shot 56.4 percent (31-55) overall. The Pride also took advantage of 23 JMU turnovers while committing but 13.

JMU shot better than 50 percent from the field (23-45; 51.1 percent) for the first time this season but attempted 10 fewer shots than its host and connected on only four of 11 three-point tries.

Hofstra was the third straight JMU opponent to shoot better than 50 percent from the field after none of the Dukes' first eight 2005-06 foes reached the mark.

James and senior guard Jomo Belfor (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon) each had 16 points for JMU, and junior guard Ray Barbosa (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) had 10 points.

JMU returns to action Saturday (Jan. 7) in 7 p.m. home CAA game with Towson. The Tigers are 5-7 overall and 1-2 in the CAA.