Block Party Propels JMU to 64-55 Win at Towson

Sunday, February 11

Towson, Md.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

16-8, 12-1CAA

Towson

9-15, 4-9CAA

James Madison

Towson

2/11/2018 4:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. – Three Dukes reached double figures as James Madison women's basketball won 64-55 at Towson on Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association action. JMU moves to 12-1 in league play (15-8 overall) and remains in a one-game lead atop the league standings.

Sophomore Kamiah Smalls had a team-best 17 points, including a career-high tying seven makes from the free-throw line, for her 22^nd double-figure scoring performance this season. Redshirt sophomore Kelly Koshuta dropped 13 points in the victory while junior Logan Reynolds had a career-best 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

The Dukes shot 40.4 percent from the floor and added 15 made free throws (15-23) while the Tigers shot 32.8 percent, going 11-for-23 from the line.

TURNING POINT
With the contest tied 8-8 after back-to-back Towson 3-pointers during a JMU scoring drought, the Dukes went on a 9-0 run to bridge the first and second quarters, taking the lead at 17-8. Towson closed back within five (19-14) at the 5:56 mark of the second frame, but a 9-3 JMU finish to the half gave the Dukes an 11-point advantage (28-17) heading into the locker room. The Tigers went 0-for-6 in their final attempts of the half.

BLOCK CITY
Kayla Cooper-Williams finished the day with a career-high seven blocks, including six in the first half alone, pushing her season total to 51 (t-9^th) and her career total to 122 (5^th). Devon Merritt tied her career high of four blocks for the third time this season. As a team, the Dukes reached the 6+ block mark for the 12^th time in their last 14 games with the season-high 11 total denials. JMU reached double-digit blocks in both contests against Towson this season.

CONTROLLING THE LANE
JMU outscored Towson 16-2 in points-in-the-paint in the first half before the Tigers were able to take a 16-10 edge in the second half.

DISH AND SWISH
For the 10^th time in league play, JMU reached the 50-percent assist mark on its shots. The Dukes tallied assists on 14 of their 23 made field goals (60.87%). The effort was led by a career-high tying six assists from Kamiah Smalls.

CONSISTENCY ON THE FLOOR
Senior Hailee Barron appeared in her 125th consecutive game, in sole possession of the third-longest streak in JMU history. She needs to appear in the next three games to move into sole possession of second all-time, which would pass JMU Hall of Famer and WNBA standout Tamera Young ('08).

A STEP AHEAD
JMU never trailed this weekend in either of its CAA contests (vs. Northeastern, at Towson).

UP NEXT
The Dukes head to Delaware on Friday, Feb. 16 for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The game is the Blue Hens' annual Play4Kay Pink Game.