DUKES FALL 76-62 AT VCU IN MEN'S BASKETBALL

Wednesday, February 24

Richmond, Va.

7:30 p.m.

James Madison University

12-18, 4-13CAA

VCU

20-7, 11-6CAA

James Madison

VCU

2/25/2010 6:18:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 24, 2010 - Joey Rodriguez and Bradford Burgess combined for 40 points to lead Virginia Commonwealth to a 76-62 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball victory over James Madison Wednesday.

Rodriguez had 18 of his team-high 24 points during the opening half, sparking the Rams to a big early lead, and Burgess finished with 16 points, including a key field goal to end the first half and seven points early during the final period when VCU regained control.

VCU with the victory improved to 20-7 overall and to 11-6 in the CAA. JMU fell to 12-18 overall and to 4-13 in the CAA.

JMU scored the game's first two points, but VCU raced to a 13-2 lead by the 16-minute mark of the opening half. Rodriguez scored his team's first eight points, 11 of the Rams' first 13 and 13 of their first 17 points.

JMU, with junior forward Denzel Bowles (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) scoring 13 of his game-high 31 points during the opening period, got back to within one point on four occasions. However, Burgess scored on a jumper at the first-half horn to give VCU a 37-33 lead, opened the second-half scoring with a field goal and added a layup and a three-pointer as the Ram lead reached 49-41 with 13:53 to play.

VCU went on to lead 63-45 by the 8:47 mark and kept at least a nine-point advantage the rest of the way. JMU got to within 63-54 on a Bowles layup with 6:13 left, but Burgess, Rodriguez and Ed Nixon had field goals to raise the margin to 69-54 with 5:14 to play.

Rodriguez hit on eight of 14 shots, including three of five from three-point range, and on five straight free throws. He also had five assists and four steals. Burgess hit on seven of 10 shots.

Bowles had his third 30-point scoring effort of the season. He hit on 13 of 17 shots from the field and five of seven free throws and had eight rebounds despite sitting out the final eight minutes of the opening half after being charged with his second personal foul.

Senior guard Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) with 11 points was the only other Duke to reach double figures in scoring. He had three field goals from three-point range, five rebounds and three assists. Curtis during the game surpassed the 4,000 mark for career minutes played and with 4,025 JMU minutes holds the all-time JMU mark by more than 400 minutes.

JMU shot 46 percent (25-54) to VCU's 42 percent (27-64), but the Rams had eight three-pointers to JMU's five, had a 40-31 rebounding edge and committed only 10 turnovers to JMU's 17. JMU had 11 first-half turnovers, including six during the first four minutes and nine during the first 7:35 of play.

After falling behind quickly by 11 points, JMU got to within a point at 19-18, 22-21, 27-26, and 32-31 but never retook the lead.

JMU will be at home to close the regular season Saturday (Feb. 27) in a 7 p.m. game against CAA foe Drexel.