Women's Basketball Comes Up Short at Georgia Southern

Saturday, February 4

Statesboro, Ga.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

18-6,8-4Sun Belt

Georgia Southern

15-6,7-5Sun Belt

James Madison

Ga. Southern

2/4/2023 5:45:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern forced 20 James Madison turnovers and converted them into 21 points as the Eagles came away with a 72-61 win over the Dukes on Saturday afternoon inside Hanner Fieldhouse.

JMU falls to 18-6 with an 8-4 mark in Sun Belt Conference action, while the Eagles improve to 15-6 (7-5 SBC).

Three Dukes scored in double figures, led by senior Kiki Jefferson with 17, followed by juniors Kobe King-Hawea (14) and Peyton McDaniel (11). Jefferson also pulled down 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Additionally, her offensive effort gives her 1,656 career points for sole possession of seventh in program history.

Juniors Kseniia Kozlova and Annalicia Goodman grabbed seven boards, while graduate student Caroline Germond registered three steals and three assists in the loss.

How It Happened

James Madison was stifled in the first quarter, committing five fouls and recording six turnovers. Georgia Southern scored seven points off JMU turnovers to take a 19-11 lead after one.
The Dukes locked in on defense, holding the Eagles to just 11 points in the second period. McDaniel knocked down a pair of triples to help James Madison take a 27-26 advantage with 1:47 to go.
Georgia Southern's Terren Ward connected on a turnaround jumpshot at the buzzer to give her team a 30-28 edge at the half.
The Eagles opened up the third with a 12-4 spurt to make it 42-32 halfway through the period.
The Dukes managed to cut the deficit to five, 46-41, at the 1:22 mark of the third. Georgia Southern responded with a 5-0 run to end the period for a 51-41 lead.
King-Hawea drilled treys on back-to-back possessions as JMU found itself down by just four, 57-53, with under seven minutes remaining.
James Madison tallied 10 fouls in the fourth quarter, resulting in 13 points at the line from Georgia Southern as the Eagles held on for the 72-61 home win.

Game Notes

Georgia Southern owns a 3-2 lead in the all-time series versus James Madison.
Jefferson (1,656) now trails Meredith Alexis (2003-07) in sixth who accumulated 1,760 points during her time in Harrisonburg.
Additionally, Jefferson's double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) marked the 18th in her career.
King-Hawea's 14 points are the best offensive point production in her Division I career. She knocked down 4-of-8 (50.0%) from the long line, a career-high in makes from deep.
James Madison won the rebounding battle, 44-40, after being dominated on the glass in the first meeting when the Eagles had 53 to the Dukes' 37.
JMU went 6-for-28 (21.4%) from three, tied for the third-worst percentage by the team in 2022-23. The least efficient night was a 4-of-24 (16.7%) performance against South Alabama on Feb. 2.
The Eagles connected on 7-of-12 (58.3%) from deep, the most efficient a James Madison opponent has shot this season.
Georgia Southern converted on 19-of-27 (70.4%) from the line, the ninth time a JMU opponent has had 20-plus attempts. Meanwhile, the Dukes made seven shots from the charity stripe, the third outing for the program this season with single-digit makes.
The 20 turnovers by the Dukes are the second-most for JMU this year behind the program's 22 at Southern Miss on Jan. 7.

Up Next
The Dukes will return to Harrisonburg to host Louisiana on Feb. 9 and Arkansas State on Feb. 11. Thursday's game against the Ragin' Cajuns will serve as JMU's Pink Game in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.