#22 Dukes Dominate Fresno State for Cancun Challenge Title

Wednesday, November 22

Riviera Maya, Mexico

8:30 p.m.

James Madison University

6-0,0-0Sun Belt

Fresno State

3-2,0-0Mountain West

James Madison

Fresno St.

#22 Dukes Dominate Fresno State for Cancun Challenge Title

11/22/2023 11:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico — The No.22 James Madison men's basketball team used an early 28-5 run to take control, leading wire-to-wire in a 95-64 win over Fresno State (3-2) in the championship game of the Cancun Challenge on Wednesday evening.

JMU (6-0) finished a blistering 56.3 percent from the field as four Dukes finished in double-figures. Noah Freidel scored 26 points (7-of-10) - his highest total at JMU - while T.J. Bickerstaff (15pts and Tournament MVP), Raekwon Horton (13), and Julien Wooden (10) all assisted in the scoring. Junior Terrence Edwards Jr. scored 54 points in three games (18 ppg.).

Overall, the Dukes held Fresno State to 41.3 percent from the field and forced 18 Bulldogs turnovers, scoring 25 points off them. JMU also scored 44 points in the paint.

Fresno State was led by Eduardo Andre, who scored 12 points and secured five rebounds. Isaiah Hill added 12 points of his own, while Enoch Boakye corralled 12 boards.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half

Michael Green III kicked off the scoring for the Dukes, nailing a three-pointer on a dish from Wooden.
The Dukes made its first six shots – including three 3-pointers - and held a 15-1 lead through the first five minutes of the contest.
After the Bulldogs hit their first field goal 5:30 into the half (1-for-8, 12.5% to that point), Friedel hit a triple to extend the lead to 20-3.
The lead grew to as many as 21 points (24-3), and JMU stayed in control from that point on. Through the end of the first half, Fresno State was held to 35.7% from the field, including 0-for-8 from behind the arc.
Friedel secured a layup and three free throws, giving JMU a 51-23 lead going into the locker room.
JMU scored 26 points in the paint while Fresno State had 12 turnovers in the first half, allowing the Dukes to score 18 points off of those turnovers.
Freidel led the team at the half with 11 pts. Horton and Edwards each had 9.

Second Half

A Freidel 3-pointer pushed the Dukes lead to 28 points (66-38).
JMU was able to tap into its bench, as Quincy Allen and Hollman Smith added triples to give the Dukes a dominant win.

GAME NOTES

The 6-0 start for JMU marks the first time the Dukes have begun a season with six straight wins since 1981-82, when they started 8-0.
With his 26-point effort, Friedel eclipsed 1,200 points for his college career. The senior has averaged 11.5 points and is 50 percent (15-of-30) from deep through six games.
Bickerstaff also surpassed 800 points for his career, while Edwards Jr. surpassed 900 in Cancun.

WHAT'S NEXT
#22 JMU (6-0) returns to the friendly city for a showdown with Buffalo next Wednesday, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+, and Dave Riggert will provide radio coverage through the JMU Radio Network 92.1 FM/550 AM and the Varsity Network App.