JMU MEN OPEN CAA PLAY WITH 68-65 WIN AT NORTHEASTERN

Saturday, December 1

Boston, Mass.

1 p.m.

James Madison University

5-1, 1-0CAA

Northeastern

2-4, 0-1CAA

James Madison

Northeastern

12/1/2007 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 1, 2007 ? Sophomore guard Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) had a game-high 19 points, and senior forward Terrance Carter (District Heights, Md./Largo) hit on four-straight free throw attempts during the final 25 seconds as James Madison held on for a 68-65 victory over Northeastern in the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball opener for both teams Saturday.

JMU rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to lead by 10 points during the final half before holding on for its fifth victory in six games this season. Northeastern fell to 2-4 for the year.

The victory gave JMU's its first three-game winning streak since late during the 2003-04 season, and the team's 5-1 record after six games is its best since the 1986-87 were 5-1 on their way to a 10-1 start.

Curtis hit on eight of 17 field goal attempts, including both of his three-point tries, and also had a team- and career-high nine rebounds.

Carter hit on both shots of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity with 25 seconds left for a

66-62 JMU lead and repeated that effort with 2.9 seconds left for JMU's final margin. Northeastern had gotten to within 66-65 on Eugene Spates' three-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, and Carter was fouled on the ensuing in-bounds play.

After JMU led 68-65, Northeastern had a pass deflected out of bounds near midcourt with 2.2 seconds remaining, and its three-point try by forward Chris Alvarez from the left side was well short at the final horn.

Northeastern used a 12-2 scoring run to pull into a 57-57 tie after JMU led 55-45 midway through the final half. Freshman guard Heiden Ratner (Las Vegas, Nev./Silverado) put J