Men's Basketball Rocks Limestone in Opener

Wednesday, November 25

Harrisonburg, Va.

12 p.m.

James Madison University

1-0,0-0CAA

Limestone University

0-1,0-0SAC

Limestone

James Madison

11/25/2020 4:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - Six different James Madison players scored in double figures for the first time in nearly a decade on Wednesday afternoon, as the Dukes opened the 2020-21 season, the new Atlantic Union Bank Center and Head Coach Mark Byington's inaugural season at the helm with an 89-55 win over Limestone University in non-conference men's basketball.

Freshmen Justin Amadi and Terell Strickland led the way in the season-opener, with Amadi pacing the Dukes with 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting that included multiple highlight reel dunks. Strickland scored four poinits, racked up eight assists with just one turnover and marked his collegiate debut by shattering the JMU record for steals in a game with 10.

The mark was also a new Colonial Athletic Association record, besting Craig Ponder of UNCW (Dec. 2, 2015) and Tony Skinn of George Mason (Jan. 19, 2006) by one.

As a team, the Dukes broke their own program record for single-game steals with 21, besting their mark of 20, set against Wilmington College on Jan. 17, 1976, the year before the Dukes moved to Division I. The program mark since the Division I transition was 15, set on Dec. 5, 2012 against East Tennessee State and matched last season against Shenandoah.

Senior Matt Lewis and junior Vado Morse each tallied 13 points, while sophomore Julien Wooden and freshman Terrence Edwards added 11 and senior Zach Jacobs chipped in 10.

The teams traded possessions early in both schools' season opener before the Dukes ran off 17 straight points midway through the first half to turn a 16-14 lead into a 33-14 advantage with 7:31 to play in the half.

Limestone would not get closer than 14 the rest of the way, with JMU pushing the lead to as many as 37 late in the contest.

Isayah Owens racked up 20 points, including four three-pointers, to lead the Saints and all scorers on the day.

QUICK HITS
- The last time JMU had six scorers in double figures was an 84-79 win at William & Mary on Jan. 8, 2011.
- All five of the Dukes' freshmen made their JMU debut on Wednesday: Justin Amadi, Terrence Edwards, Tyce McNair, Hollman Smith and Terell Strickland.
- In addition to Amadi, Edwards and Strickland, McNair opened his collegiate scoring account with a fast break layup in the final minute.
- Senior guard Matt Lewis tallied four assists without a turnover, giving him 278 on his career, just 18 outside JMU's all-time top 10.
- The Dukes have won their season opener for four consecutive seasons.

QUOTING COACH BYINGTON
"I thought we played well today and that we have a lot we can work on now. It was wonderful to just have the guys out playing a game of basketball, honestly. I know we have a lot to get better at and this is just one of hopefully many, so we just have to keep getting better every day, but it was good to get things started the way we did today."

UP NEXT
The Dukes will be back in action in just two days, as they welcome in-state foe Norfolk State to the Atlantic Union Bank Center on Friday, Nov. 27 for another noon tip.