JMU FALLS AT UNCW DESPITE JALLOH'S 37

Saturday, February 9

Wilmington, N.C.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

11-12 (4-9CAA)

UNCW

15-10 (8-5CAA)

James Madison

UNC Wilmington

2/10/2008 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C., Feb. 9, 2008 ? Freshman guard Chad Tomko had 11 points as North Carolina Wilmington expanded a three-point lead to 10 early during the final half, and the host Seahawks went on to beat James Madison 99-85 in men's Colonial Athletic Association basketball Saturday night.

JMU rallied from a 24-9 deficit to trail only 42-39 at halftime, but Tomko hit for five field goals, including a three-pointer, while UNC Wilmington raised its margin to 57-47 with 15:01 to play. The Seahawks went on to lead 74-57 with 9:15 left, held off a JMU rally and kept at least an eight-point lead the rest of the way.

JMU pulled to with 76-68 with 6:42 remaining on a field goal by junior guard Abdulai Jalloh (District Heights, Md./National Christian Academy), who finished with a career-best 37 points, but Tomko had a three-pointer with 5:56 left for a 79-68 Seahawk lead. Tomko's three-pointer started an 8-0 UNC Wilmington scoring run, and JMU wasn't closer than 12 points again.

UNC Wilmington improved to 15-10 overall and to 8-5 in the CAA with the win while JMU fell to 11-12 overall and to 4-9 in the conference.

Tomko finished with 24 points on eight-of-12 shooting to lead three Seahawks with 20 or more points, and the hosts overcame a pair of records by Jalloh. The 6-foot-2 Duke set marks for individual game scoring at UNC Wilmington's Trask Coliseum and by a Seahawk opponent, and he became the first JMU player to reach the 35-point scoring plateau in more than 13 seasons.

The last Duke with as many as 35 points in game was current Dukes assistant coach Louis Rowe (1993-95), who had 35 in a 110-97 win over George Mason Jan. 11, 1995. The last JMU player with as many as 37 points in a game was Kent Culuko (1991-95), who had 42 in an 87-76 home win over Rutgers Dec. 22, 1993.

Jalloh hit on 13 of 18 shots from the field, including four of seven three-point attempts. He also had a team-best seven rebounds and tied his JMU career high of four steals in 35 minutes.