NORTHEASTERN DEFEATS JMU 77-55 IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

Wednesday, February 15

Boston, Mass.

TBA

James Madison University

5-19, 2-14CAA

Northeastern

14-10, 10-6CAA

James Madison

Northeastern

2/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BOSTON, Mass., Feb. 15, 2006 – Jose Juan Barea scored a game-high 23 points, and Shawn James had his second triple-double of the season to lead Northeastern to a 77-55 victory over James Madison in men's Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball Wednesday.

Barea hit on nine of 15 shots and also had a game-high six assists, and James finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocked shots. James had eight of his blocks by halftime, and the statistical triple-double was the fourth of his career.

Northeastern with the win improved to 14-10 overall and to 10-6 in the CAA and won for the second time this season over the Dukes. The Huskies edged JMU 86-83 Dec. 3 at the JMU Convocation Center.

JMU fell to 5-19 overall and to 2-14 in the CAA.

Northeastern led 29-22 at halftime and pulled away while shooting 52 percent (16-31) during the final period. The Huskies had shot only 31 percent (11-35) and JMU but 27 percent (9-33) during the opening half.

JMU scored the first field goal of the closing half to get to within 29-24, but Northeastern raised its advantage to 39-26 with 16:23 remaining. JMU got as close as 11 points only twice more, and the Huskies led by at least 13 points throughout the final 14 minutes and were up 64-41 with 5:36 left.

Barea had eight points and two assists and James seven points and 11 rebounds in addition to his eight blocked shots by halftime.

JMU rallied from a 7-0 deficit to lead 9-7 six minutes into the game and was up 13-10 at the 10:36 mark of the opening half before an 11-2 Northeastern burst put the Huskies in control 21-15 at the 6:47 mark.

Junior guard Ray Barbosa (Allentown, Pa./William Allen) had 12 first-half points in supplying most of the Dukes' early offense, and senior forward David Cooper (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Central) had nearly half of JMU's final-period points.

After having four points and six rebounds during the first half, Cooper finished with career highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds. He hit on nine of 17 shots overall and blocked two shots in 33 minutes off the bench.

Barbosa finished with 14 points and was the only other JMU player with more than six.

JMU is back in action in a 3 p.m. non-conference game Saturday (Feb. 18) at Longwood. The Dukes defeated Longwood 72-70 last season at the JMU Convocation Center in the teams' only previous meeting.