Smalls Leads Dukes to Road Win Over Delaware

Friday, January 31

Newark, Del.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

7-116-3 | CAA

Delaware

2-66-13 | CAA

James Madison

Delaware

Photo by: Sarah Boekholder

1/31/2020 10:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score @JMUWBasketball Box Score (PDF)

NEWARK, Del. - Senior Kamiah Smalls recorded her second double-double of the season helping James Madison take down Delaware 60-39 in Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball action on Friday night inside of the Bob Carpenter Center.

The Dukes (16-3, 7-1 CAA) held the Blue Hens (6-13, 2-6 CAA) to 22.2 percent (16-of-72) from the field including limiting Delaware to just 15 second-half points to earn their fifth consecutive win and 15th consecutive win against the Blue Hens.

Smalls finished the night with team highs in points (18) and rebounds (12, season high) to go along with two assists, a pair of steals and a blocked shot.

Senior Lexie Barrier chipped in 14 points and three rebounds while senior Jackie Benitez filled the stat sheet with 14 points, a season-high five steals, two boards, two assists and a block.

How it Happened
Delaware opened the game with a three-pointer immediately after tip but JMU went on a 9-0 run with 9:29 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from senior Kayla Cooper-Williams, to take a 9-3 lead. The Dukes kept that momentum and entered the quarter break with a 21-14 advantage.

JMU kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 5-0 run starting at the 2:16 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 35-24, a score that would hold until halftime.

Following intermission, JMU continued to expand its advantage, pushing it to 39-26 before going on a 6-0 run to expand its lead further to 45-26 with 6:13 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Blue Hens had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Dukes still entered the fourth quarter with a 46-32 edge that it would not let up.

Quick Hits
- Cooper-Williams played in her first game since her injury at Towson on Jan. 12, and made her presence known as she recorded a game-high three blocks leading the Dukes to seven total blocks
- Smalls, Barrier and Benitez outscored Delaware by themselves, 46-39
- Delaware's 39 points are the least amount by an opponent this season

Up Next
JMU closes out its road trip with a crucial match against Drexel on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Dragons (14-6, 7-1 CAA) currently sit atop the CAA with the Dukes after earning a hard-fought 59-50 win over Towson on Friday night.