Men's Hoops Opens Sun Belt Schedule at Georgia State

Thursday, December 29

Atlanta, Ga.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

Georgia State

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12/28/2022 5:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes

James Madison Dukes (9-4, 0-0) at Georgia State (7-5, 0-0)

December 29, 2022 -- 7 p.m.

Atlanta, Ga. -- GSU Convocation Center

Game Links
Live Stats · Video: ESPN+ · Audio Broadcast

Tickets · JMU Game Notes

JMUSports.com · @JMUMBasketball · #GoDukes

GeorgiaStateSports.com · @GeorgiaStateMBB

QUICK HITS

James Madison men's basketball will play its first-ever Sun Belt Conference game on Thursday night, opening up league play in Atlanta with a battle against Georgia State, the reigning conference tournament champion.
The Dukes are heading into SBC play after a hard-fought double-overtime loss at Coppin State in their most recent outing, having battled back from seven points down in the final minute of regulation before falling 107-100 in the extra periods.
Graduate forward Alonzo Sule paced JMU in scoring, racking up 21 points with the help of a pair of three-pointers.
JMU was undefeated at home in non-conference play for the second straight season.
In their six wins over Division I opponents, the Dukes have won by an average of 30.2 points, with margins of 48, 35, 26, 19, 17 and 36 points. In contrast, just one defeat of JMU's four has been by double-digits (16 at then-#1 North Carolina).
Redshirt senior Vado Morse leads the scoring for the Dukes at 13.2 points per game, pacing eight different players averaging at least eight points per contest.Thursday's matchup will be a contrast in styles, with JMU ranked as the 20th-fastest team in the country by KenPom and Georgia State sitting at No. 296 in the same tempo rankings.
JMU will look to win its conference opener for just the second time in the last six seasons on Thursday night.
The Dukes' field goal percentage numbers are buoyed by Justin Amadi (.732), Mezie Offurum (.641), Terrence Edwards (.619) and Xavier Brown (.605), who are all shooting above 60% with at least 30 field goal attempts this season.
JMU has scored 100 points or more six times this season, the first JMU squad to do so since the school's transition to Division I.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

Georgia State went 7-5 in its non-conference slate, heading to SBC play with consecutive wins over Rhode Island and Toccoa Falls.
Sophomore guard Dwon Odom leads the Panthers in scoring, averaging 15.3ppg to pace four players averaging in double figures.
GSU put together one of the league's stingiest defenses in the season's opening weeks, entering Thursday's matchup allowing just 63.4 points per contest, the second-lowest average in the league.

SERIES HISTORY

JMU and Georgia State will meet for the 15th time on Thursday night, but for the first time since the Panthers departed the Colonial Athletic Association following the 2012-13 season.
GSU holds a four-game win streak over the Dukes, having swept the season series in its final two years in the CAA.
JMU last won in Atlanta on Feb. 2, 2009, grabbing an 82-69 win with 16 three-pointers - still a JMU record against a Division I foe.