25TH-RANKED WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DOWNS OLD DOMINION 79-50

Thursday, February 1

Home

7 p.m.

James Madison University

18-2, 10-0

Old Dominion

12-8, 8-1

Old Dominion

James Madison

2/1/2007 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Feb. 1, 2007 -- James Madison senior center Meredith Alexis (Hanover Township, Pa., Bishop Hoban) scored a game-high 21 points as the 25th-ranked (AP) Dukes beat Old Dominion 79-50 in Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball Thursday evening.

This was the Monarchs' worst ever CAA loss and only their 16th defeat in 251 CAA regular-season games. Previously, a 14 point loss (71-57) at East Carolina on Feb. 22, 1992 was the largest margin of defeat they had faced in conference play.

With the win JMU upped its overall record to 18-2 and remained in first place in the CAA standings at 10-0. Defending CAA champion Old Dominion is 12-8 overall and 8-1 in league play.

The Dukes won their 10th straight and posted their 15th victory in their last 17 contests. It was JMU's 23rd straight win at the Convocation Center.

ODU saw its nine-game winning streak end. This marks the eighth time this season that the Dukes have ended an opponent's winning streak of five or more games.

JMU pulled ahead early, scoring the first 12 points to take a 12-0 lead at 14:52.

Following ODU's first bucket at 14:39, the Dukes went on a 7-2 run to lead by 15 (19-4) on Alexis's layup at 12:11.

Early in the half, JMU led by as many as 15 points (19-4 at 12:11) before the Monarchs went on a 5-0 run to close the margin to six (31-25) with 38 seconds left.

The Dukes had a 33-25 lead at intermission.

JMU used a 20-3 run over a seven-minute span to take a 57-30 lead at 11:06. The run was capped by three-pointers by junior guard Jasmin Lawrence (Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis) at 12:35 and senior guard Lesley Dickinson (Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the King) at 11:06.

In the first 9:14 of the second half ODU hit only 12.5 percent (3-24), while the Dukes shot 52.9 percent (9-17).

JMU never let its lead slip below 10 (37-27 at 18:45) and at times led by as many as 33 (67-34 at 7:19).

In addition to Alexis, junior guard Tamera Young (Wilmington, N.C./Laney) and senior guard/forward Shirley McCall (Collinsville, Va./Bassett) finished in double-digits with 15 points each.

Young led the Dukes with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Sophomore center/forward Tiffany Green (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River) and senior forward Tish Lyons (Newport News, Va./Woodside) led the Monarchs with 10 points apiece. Green finished with a team-high eight rebounds.

The Dukes will be back in action Sunday afternoon when they travel to William and Mary for a 2p.m. contest.