Dukes Fight Back in 2OT Comeback Win Over App State

Wednesday, November 22

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

2-4

105

Appalachian State

3-3

OT 1

OT 2

Appalachian State

James Madison

105

11/22/2017 8:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - James Madison erased a 13-point deficit with less than seven minutes remaining on Wednesday afternoon, then battled through two overtime periods to pick up a huge, 105-99 win over Appalachian State in non-conference men's basketball action at the JMU Convocation Center.

The Dukes (2-4) had four players in double figures and three players with 20 points or more for the first time since Jan. 6, 1990, while holding the Mountaineers (3-3) to just one field goal across the final seven minutes of regulation. Junior guard Stuckey Mosley led the way with a career-high 32 points, the most by a JMU player since Denzel Bowles scored 40 at Towson on Feb. 15, 2011.

Freshman guard Matt Lewis erupted for the best game of his young career, racking up 26 points and seven boards, both career highs, to go with two assists and a steal across a turnover-free 41 minutes. Senior guard Joey McLean continued his hot stretch with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals, while junior forward Develle Phillips posted his first double-double with 15 points and 11 boards.

JMU trailed 76-63 after a free throw with just 6:43 left in the contest, but battled all the way back, holding App State to 1-of-5 shooting and forcing six turnovers along the way, before finally tying things at 82-82 on a three-pointer by McLean with just 49 seconds left.

After the Mountaineers battled back from a four-point deficit in the first overtime to force a second, the Dukes used a deep three-pointer from Mosley to take a 97-93 lead with 1:38 to play and did not allow App State any closer than two points for the remainder of the contest.

The Dukes battled back with the help of improved defense, holding App State to 40 percent (18-of-45) shooting and 22.2 percent (4-of-18) on three-pointers in the second half and overtime periods, after the Mountaineers went 15-of-26 (57.7 percent) from the field and 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) from three before halftime.

Justin Forrest led the way for App State, scoring 36 points and going 11-of-20 from the field and 7-of-12 from three. Ronshad Shabazz scored 22 of his own, while Griffin Kinney added 16.

QUOTING COACH ROWE
"I'm so proud of these guys and happy for these guys. They're always going to compete and they've been working so hard, so to get this one is big. Our guys never quit and battled back and that's who they are. They compete and represent JMU as hard as they can. We have things to clean up and things we need to improve on, but this was a big step for us."

QUICK HITS
- The Dukes last had three 20-point scorers on Jan. 6, 1990, when Steve Hood (27), William Davis (21) and Billy Coles (20) managed the feat against South Alabama.
- Develle Phillips' double-double, his first as a Duke, was JMU's first since Yohanny Dalembert tallied 15 points and 17 boards in a win over Elon on Jan. 14, 2017.
- Wednesday marked the first 100-point performance by the Dukes under Head Coach Louis Rowe and the first for JMU since a 107-84 win over Marshall on Dec. 6, 2015.
- JMU racked up 10 steals on the evening, pushing its season total to 52, which ranked eighth in the country entering Wednesday's action.
- Justin Forrest's 36 points on Wednesday were tied for the 12th-most ever by any opposing player against a JMU team.

UP NEXT
The Dukes hit the road after the holiday, traveling south for a 4 p.m. match up at Radford on Saturday, Nov. 25. On Wednesday, the Highlanders dropped a 77-74 decision at Colonial Athletic Association foe Elon.