JMU PULLS OUT 68-66 WIN OVER GMU

Saturday, February 7

Harrisonburg, Va.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

16-9, 8-5

George Mason

16-7, 9-4

George Mason

James Madison

2/7/2009 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Feb. 7, 2009 ? Senior forward Kyle Swanston (Spring Hill, Fla./Worcester Academy) had 19 points as James Madison pulled out a 68-66 win in the final minute over George Mason in a Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

JMU improved to 16-9 overall and 8-5 in the CAA with its third straight victory. The Dukes snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Patriots and assured themselves no worse than a .500 record for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. GMU fell to 16-7 overall and 9-4 in the league.

Swanston finished with 19 points following his 23-point effort on Wednesday at Georgia State. He hit five of 11 three-point field goals. Junior forward Dazzmond Thornton (Denver, Colo./East) had 13 points, six rebounds, and matched his career high with 29 minutes while playing as JMU's primary post presence due to injuries and foul trouble.

Freshman guard Devon Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Northland) added 11 points for the Dukes while hitting three of four free throws in the final minute to seal the win. Sophomore guard Ben Louis (Melbourne, Australia/St. Francis Xavier) had a balanced stat line with career highs of five assists and four steals along with five points and five boards.

John Vaughan led Mason with 19 points. Darryl Monroe was the only other Patriot in double figures with 13 points, four boards, and four assists.

JMU built its largest margin at 44-30 with 15:35 remaining in the game. The Dukes still led by 10 at 57-47 with 7:40 left when the Patriots went on a 13-0 run, holding JMU scoreless for over three minutes to take a 60-57 lead with 4:41 remaining.

JMU recovered to take the lead on a Thornton post move and a pair of foul shots by Moore. Mason reclaimed the lead briefly on a Monroe jumper, but Thornton made it an even trade on post moves by the opposing big men to give the Dukes the lead for good at 63-62 with 2:35 remaining.