Men's Basketball Drops Hard-Fought Senior Day Decision

Friday, February 26

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

13-6,8-2CAA

Drexel

9-7,4-5CAA

Drexel

James Madison

Zach Jacobs Matt Lewis Senior Day 022621

2/26/2021 10:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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HARRISONBURG, Va. - Junior guard Vado Morse racked up 25 points on Friday evening, leading the way as James Madison nearly completed a double-digit comeback, but dropped a hard-fought 84-78 decision to Drexel in both teams' Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball regular-season finale.

Despite the loss, the Dukes (13-6, 8-2 CAA) captured their first share of the CAA regular-season championship since 2014-15 and will enter the league's tournament as the top seed for the first time since 1993-94.

Morse led the way on offense as the Dukes fought without their leading scorer, adding six assists, while junior Jalen Hodge tallied 16 points with the help of a 4-of-6 performance from long range and senior Zach Jacobs went 5-of-6 from the floor on his way to 11 points and three assists on Senior Day.

The two teams traded short runs in the opening half, battling back and forth to 10 lead changes through the first 12:20. The Dragons would gradually expand the lead across the final stretch of the half, eventually using three free throws just before the buzzer to take a 43-33 lead into the break.

Drexel would push the lead to 11 shortly after halftime, but the Dukes responded with an 11-3 run that cut things to 48-45. The Dragons would go back up by 10, before JMU reeled off eight straight points to make it 59-57 with 8:55 to play. However, Drexel used one final push to go back up 77-69 with 3:31 left.

JMU would not fade, hitting consecutive three-pointers to cut the lead to two twice in the final 1:07, but a three-pointer that would have given the Dukes the lead with 16 seconds left was blocked and the Dragons were able to close things out at the line.

Camren Wynter led four players in double figures with 18 points and seven assists, while Drexel went 16-of-17 from the free throw line as a team.

QUOTING COACH BYINGTON
"I was proud of the way the guys fought tonight and gave themselves a chance to win at the end of the game. We were kind of adjusting as the game was going along and learning some things moving forward, but I love the way the guys competed and I'm proud of their effort. It was a disappointing game in that we didn't finish the way we wanted to finish, but now that the regular season is over, I want them to feel great about what they accomplished in winning the regular season championship."

QUICK HITS
- Freshman Terell Strickland tallied a pair of steals, giving him 31 this season and moving him into a tie for the 10th-most ever recorded by a JMU freshman.
- The loss snapped the Dukes' seven-game win streak, which was the just 19th streak of at least seven wins in program history.

UP NEXT
The Dukes have clinched the top seed at the CAA Men's Basketball Tournament and will open their tournament in the quarterfinals, tipping off against either the No. 8 or No. 9 seed at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 7.