Late Rally Falls Short as UMBC Tops Dukes, 62-61

Friday, December 23

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

1-11

UMBC

9-3

UMBC

James Madison

12/23/2016 9:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score @JMUMBasketball JMU MBB on Facebook Photo Gallery Highlights

HARRISONBURG, Va. – A furious 11-0 run over the final 5:30 of the game was not enough for James Madison on Friday evening, as the Dukes dropped a 62-61 heartbreaker to UMBC in non-conference action at the JMU Convocation Center.

Despite trailing by 12 with 5:33 left, JMU (1-11) closed the gap to four after redshirt senior forward Dimitrije Cabarkapa hit a fade-away jumper on the baseline with 3:42 to go and junior guard Joey McLean put in a lay-up after a scramble at the net with 1:09 left. Cabarkapa drained a three-pointer top of the arc with 37 seconds left to pull within one point, but McLean's would-be game winner caught both sides of the rim with five seconds left and UMBC (9-3) was able to run out the clock.

McLean led the Dukes in scoring with 17 points, hitting a career-high five of his seven three-point attempts. Redshirt junior forward Ramone Snowden added 11 points and six rebounds, while senior forward Tom Vodanovich was just shy of a double-double, recording nine points and 10 boards.

UMBC was paced by Jairus Lyles who scored 22 points, including 18 on 8-of-13 shooting in the second half, and grabbed six rebounds. Joe Sherburne added 18 points, highlighted by five three-pointers of his own.

The Dukes had a strong defensive performance, recording five blocks and nine steals while holding the high-powered UMBC offense to its lowest point total of the season. For the 11th time in 12 games, JMU also outrebounded its opponent, collecting 33 boards to UMBC's 27.

JMU held the Retrievers, who entered Friday's contest averaging 85.6 points per game, scoreless for length swaths of the contest. The Dukes blanked UMBC for 7:58 late in the first half, allowing them to turn a 15-11 deficit into a 25-15 lead, and held the Retrievers scoreless for the final 5:30 to keep themselves alive for their final push.

QUOTING COACH ROWE
"I'm pleased with the effort tonight from everyone that stepped on the court. We made some mistakes, but I didn't have to coach effort tonight and our energy was good. At the end of the day, though, we have to make plays. We can't give up that run at the end of the half and we have to make some point-blank layups."

PLAY OF THE GAME | COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS

WATCH: Cabarkapa for THREEEEE! Dukes trail by just a point! pic.twitter.com/EQbdr1bNXC
— JMU Men's Basketball (@JMUMBasketball) December 24, 2016

Senior Dimitrije Cabarkapa drilled this three-pointer with 37 seconds on the clock to pull the Dukes within one point after they had trailed 62-50 with just 5:33 to play.

UP NEXT
The Dukes will stay at home to close out their non-conference schedule after the holiday, welcoming Eastern Mennonite to the Convo for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Dec. 28.