JMU Travels South to Face USC Upstate in CIT First Round

2014-15 JMU MEN'S BASKETBALL

GAME #33- COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND

19-13 (12-6 CAA)

JMU Game Notes

James Madison at USC Upstate
Hodge Arena (818) – Spartanburg, S.C.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN3/Watch ESPN; CollegeInsider.com
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio

Twitter: @JMUMBasketball, #JMUDukes

23-11 (8-6 A-Sun)

Game Plan

James Madison heads south to Spartanburg, S.C., to open play at the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament on Tuesday night at USC Upstate at Hodge Arena.
The game will be televised on ESPN 3, the Watch ESPN app and at CollegeInsider.com. It can also be heard on the JMU/nTelos Wireless Broadcast Network and on the local airwaves at WSVA AM 550 and 92.1 FM beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Scouting Report

The Dukes return to a postseason for the second time in three seasons and the second time ever at the CIT in what will be the first meeting ever between JMU and USC Upstate.
JMU enters the game with a 19-13 overall record while Upstate comes in with a 23-11 mark. The Dukes finished tied for first in the CAA standings before falling to Hofstra in the conference quarterfinals to Hofstra while the Spartans were third in the Atlantic Sun and came up short in the title game at North Florida.
JMU last played in the CIT back in 2009 during the inaugural event. It went 2-1 with wins over Mount St. Mary's (69-58) and at Liberty (88-65) before falling at eventual champion and former CAA foe Old Dominion (81-43) in the semifinals.
Although JMU has never met USC Upstate, the Dukes have played two Atlantic Sun teams previously, beating Kennesaw State 82-69 in 2008-09 and Stetson 71-69 in overtime in 2011-12.
Tuesday's game features three players which made all-conference teams as Ron Curry and Yohanny Dalembert are represented from JMU while Ty Greene was an elite player in the Atlantic Sun.
Curry, a Second Team All-CAA honoree, averages 13.9 points per game, which ranks ninth in the CAA. He also ranks second in 3-point percentage (.420), third in assists (4.3), 10th in made threes (1.8) and 12h in field goal percentage (.407).
Dalembert, who was named Third Team All-CAA and to the All-Defensive Team, scores 11.5 points per game, while leading the Dukes with 5.8 rebounds, to rank 10th in the conference. He is also second in the CAA in shooting percentage (.588) and fourth in blocks (1.2)
Upstate's Greene was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year as he leads the league with 20.2 points per game. He is also first in steals (2.1) and second in 3-point percentage (.427).
This season, the Dukes are a perfect 17-0 when leading with five minutes to play and are 17-1 when shooting better than their opponent. JMU is also 15-1 when winning the rebounding war, 11-2 when dishing out more assists and 9-2 in games decided by one or two possessions. It is also 11-1 when limiting foes to under 70 points.
The second-round opponent for Tuesday night's winner will be revealed after all the first-round games are played as the CIT uses the old NIT model with no bracket or predetermined opponents.

Postseason Tournament History under Matt Brady (2008-09
2013: #1 Indiana 83, #16 JMU 63 (Dayton, Ohio) - NCAA Second Round
2013: #16 JMU 68, #16 LIU Brooklyn 55 (Dayton Ohio) - NCAA First Round
2011: Davidson 85, JMU 65 (Davidson, N.C.) - CBI First Round
2009: Old Dominion 81, JMU 43 (Norfolk, Va.) - CIT Semifinals
2009: JMU 88, Liberty 65 (Lynchburg, Va.) - CIT Quarterfinals
2009: JMU 69, Mount St. Mary's 58 (Harrisonburg, Va.) - CIT First Round
3-3 in Tournaments during the Brady Era (1-1 NCAA, 0-1 CBI, 2-1 CIT)

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