Kent Powers Dukes to 71-59 Win at Longwood

Saturday, December 3

Farmville, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

1-7

Longwood

2-4

James Madison

Longwood

12/3/2016 9:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score 2016-17 Schedule 2016-17 Statistics @JMUMBasketball

FARMVILLE, Va. - Senior guard Jackson Kent scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds to power James Madison to its first win of the season on Saturday evening, triumphing over Longwood in a 71-59 non-conference men's basketball battle at

Three other JMU (1-7) players joined Kent in double figures as the Dukes controlled the contest throughout, leading Longwood (2-4) for all but 58 seconds.

Kent was brutally efficient for the Dukes, hitting seven of his eight shots--including all five of his three-pointers--en route to the best scoring performance of his career, adding two steals and an assist on the evening. Only Steve Hood, who hit all six of his three-pointers on Dec. 30, 1989, has had a more accurate performance from long range in a JMU uniform.

Senior forward Yohanny Dalembert posted his second consecutive double-digit performance, racking up 16 points and six boards across 26 minutes, while senior forward Tom Vodanovich pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds to go with seven second-half points.

Junior guard Ramone Snowden had his best game as a Duke, racking up 12 points and eight rebounds--both career highs--across 21 minutes off the bench, while junior guard Joey McLean tallied 10 points, four assists and two rebounds, while committing just one turnover across 35 minutes.

The Dukes controlled the game for the majority of the evening, holding a 7-12 point lead for much of the contest. Longwood would mount its biggest challenge with 7:19 to play, when the Lancers scored five straight points to cut the Dukes' lead to 50-46.

JMU would respond immediately, however, as the Dukes would reel off eight straight points, highlighted by a pair of layups from Snowden, to push the lead back to 12 points. After a three-pointer cut the lead to 61-52 at the 3:23 mark, the Dukes would maintain a double-digit lead until the buzzer, with Kent providing the dagger on a three-pointer from the corner with 52 seconds to play.

Darrion Allen led the way for Longwood with 13 points, while Kendrick Thompson hit four three-pointers to add 12 points and four assists.

QUOTING COACH ROWE
"It feels good to get this one. We've really emphasized a process for this team and these guys are buying in and making strides. They came out and were dialed in from the start and battled all the way through. We need to get back to work and build on this one."

DOMINANCE ON THE BOARDS
After winning the rebounding battle by single digits in each of their first seven contests, the Dukes dominated the boards on Saturday evening, outrebounding Longwood by a 47-27 margin. The 20-rebound gap was the largest for JMU since the Dukes outrebounded Drexel, 44-20, on Jan. 21, 2016.

UP NEXT
The Dukes will be not back in action until next Saturday, Dec. 10, when they fly north to Kalamazoo, Mich. to take on Western Michigan in a 1 p.m. contest. The Broncos are 2-5 this season after falling to UNCW this past Wednesday, but travel to Cleveland State on Wednesday, Dec. 7, prior to facing JMU.