JMU Rolls to 83-61 Win Over Charleston in CAA Home Opener

Friday, January 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

7-5, 1-1CAA

College of Charleston

5-7, 0-2CAA

Col. of Charleston

JMU

JMU Rolls to 83-61 Win Over Charleston in CAA Home Opener

1/8/2016 9:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The James Madison women's basketball team used a 26-4 run in the second quarter to surge past College of Charleston, 83-61, Friday night at the JMU Convocation Center.

The Dukes improved to 8-5 overall and 1-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association after the conference home opener. The Cougars fell to 5-7 and 0-2 in the CAA.

JMU trailed 19-17 with 8:44 left in the second period, but rallied behind 14 points from redshirt senior guard Jazmon Gwathmey to take a 43-23 lead late in the first half. Gwathmey finished with 23 points, her fourth consecutive game in double figures. She now sits 27^th in program history with 1,117 career points.

Senior guard Angela Mickens and junior forward Da'Lishia Griffin also notched double-digit figures in the contest with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Griffin also led JMU with nine rebounds on the night.

Mickens tallied 11 assists for her second double-double of the season. Her 543 career assists are fifth all-time in JMU history.

The Dukes shot 42.9 percent from the floor, including 45.5-percent showing from 3-point range, while holding the Cougars to 30.8-percent field goal shooting.

JMU dominated on the glass, outrebounding Charleston 49-36 and earning a 37-12 advantage in points in the paint.

Freshman center Kayla Cooper-Williams finished with five points and six rebounds, her sixth straight game with at least six boards.

QUOTING HEAD COACH KENNY BROOKS
"Charleston came out and they battled us in the beginning and I thought the way we surged in the second quarter to get some separation really allowed us to do things we wanted to do. Right now we are still trying to find our identity and trying to find different rotations and having a big lead in the second half allowed us to do that."
Player postgame is available here.

NUMBERS OF NOTE

Junior forward Da'Lishia Griffin scored in double figures for the third time this season, posting 13 points on the night.
Griffin also tied a career high in blocks with two.
Freshman center Kayla Cooper-Williams had six rebounds against the Cougars, the sixth straight game she has secured six or more boards.
Redshirt senior guard Jazmon Gwathmey posted a game-high 23 points, her fourth straight game in double figures.
Senior point guard Angela Mickens had her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 assists.

TWEET OF THE GAME

Jazmon Gwathmey talks to the #CAAHoops crew after leading @JMUWBasketball to an 83-61 win over #CofC pic.twitter.com/VAQTShwVt0
— CAA Basketball (@CAABasketball) January 9, 2016

HOME SWEET HOME

The Dukes have won eight straight games at home dating back to the 2014-15 season.
JMU has welcomed 2,000 or more fans into the Convocation Center for 33 straight games.
Of their six home games this season, the Dukes have earned nuggets four times. Senior guard Ashley Perez picked up the 79th point of the contest on a fourth-quarter jumper.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS

Senior point guard Angela Mickens' 11 assists pushed her career total to 543 and fifth place on the all-time assists chart at JMU. She surpassed Donna Budd's mark of 533 career assists.
Redshirt senior point guard Jazmon Gwathmey's 23 points pushed her career scoring total to 1,117 points. She is now 27th all-time in JMU history.
Today marked Gwathmey's 100th career start. It was her 66th consecutive start, which is tied for 15th all-time.

PHOTO OF THE NIGHT
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Senior point guard Angela Mickens makes the fast pass in the point.
For the full photo gallery, please click here.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Angela Mickens dishes it Da'Lishia Griffin to take a 21-19 lead.
For full highlights, click here.

UP NEXT
JMU hits the road for a brief trip to Elon. The Dukes take on the Phoenix on Sunday, Jan. 10, at 2 p.m. JMU holds a 3-0 record against Elon as CAA foes.
More to come.