#20 JMU Runs Past Coppin State, 87-48

Tuesday, December 19

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

11-0,0-0Sun Belt

Coppin State

1-12,0-0MEAC

Coppin St.

James Madison

12/19/2023 9:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Four Dukes scored in double figures as No. 20 James Madison improved to 11-0 with a dominant 87-48 win over Coppin State Tuesday evening at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.

A 13-0 first-half spurt was more than enough for JMU to pull away from Coppin State (1-12), which committed 30 turnovers and shot 35 percent (17-of-49) from the field.

T.J. Bickerstaff led all JMU scorers with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Terrence Edwards Jr., added 16 points and four steals. Julien Wooden pitched in 13 points and six rebounds and Noah Freidel added 10.

Defensively, the Dukes forced 30 Coppin State turnovers, leading to 28 fast break points for the home team. Michael Green III led the way with a career-high six steals, while Xavier Brown, Wooden, and Bickerstaff all notched four steals.

The Eagles were led by Justin Winston, who finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

How It Happened
First Half

Coppin State got on the board first, but Bickerstaff responded with a fadeaway jumper to tie the score at 2-2 with 19:07 remaining.
Wooden drilled a 3-pointer to give JMU its first lead of the contest (7-4), and Bickerstaff added a layup to give the Dukes a 9-6 lead at the under-16 timeout.
After two free throws from Coppin State's Justin Winston tied the score at 14, JMU rattled off 11 straight, capped off by a Raekwon Horton breakaway slam which made the score 25-14.
Bickerstaff added to his totals with another dunk, giving the Dukes a 36-22 lead with 3:50 remaining in the half.
10 straight points from Edwards Jr., gave JMU a 49-26 lead at halftime.

Second Half

Bickerstaff and Freidel kicked off the second half scoring with layups, extending the Dukes' lead to 54-26 with 17:57 remaining.
An Edwards Jr., layup off an Eagles turnover gave JMU held a 23-point lead (70-37) lead at the under-16 media timeout.
JMU gained its largest lead of the contest with four minutes remaining (84-44) on a layup from Jerrell Roberson.
Shane Feden capped off the Dukes' scoring with his first 3-pointer of the season, giving JMU an 87-48 lead with 1:42 left.

Game Notes

Head Coach Mark Byington notched his 199th career victory. In his four seasons at JMU, Byington has compiled a 61-32 (.656) record.
The 30 turnovers forced by JMU ties a program record. The Dukes forced 30 vs. Furman on Dec. 1, 1984 and Buffalo on Nov. 12, 2022.
JMU remains one of four unbeaten teams nationally (Houston, Ole Miss, Oklahoma).
Graduate student Michael Green III picked up a career-high six steals. Through 11 games, the guard is averaging 1.6 steals per contest.
JMU's 87 points brought its season average to 92.9 points per game, still tied with No. 3 Arizona for the best mark in the country.
Bickerstaff scored 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting, boosting his season field goal percentage to 68.5 percent, which ranks 11th nationally.
The 48 points allowed by JMU is the fewest of the 2023-24 season, with the previous low coming against Keystone (59) on Dec. 3.
JMU held Coppin State to 34.7 percent shooting, including 1-of-13 from three-point range. The Dukes also outscored the Eagles 50-26 in the paint and out rebounded Coppin State 35-31.
Coppin State, which entered the contest second to last in Division I in assist/turnover ratio, committed 30 turnovers, as JMU generated a school-record 22 steals.