Women's Basketball Captures First Sun Belt Championship

Monday, March 6

Pensacola, Fla.

2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT)

James Madison University

26-7,13-5Sun Belt

Texas State

23-9,13-5Sun Belt

Texas St.

James Madison

3/6/2023 7:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Highlights Press Conference Gallery #1 Gallery #2 Photo Gallery

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Junior Peyton McDaniel and senior Kiki Jefferson combined to score 52 points and hit 11 of their 12 three-pointers on Monday afternoon as James Madison captured its first-ever Sun Belt Women's Basketball Championship in an 81-51 romp over Texas State at the Pensacola Bay Center.

How It Happened

McDaniel matched an NCAA record with a 7-for-7 performance from deep to tie her career-high with 30 points and nine rebounds, while Jefferson went 8-of-13 (61.5%) from the field for 22 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Jefferson was named the Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player, while McDaniel joined her on the All-Tournament Team.
The win gives the Dukes (26-7) their first conference title and NCAA bid since 2016. All told, JMU shot an eye-popping 12-for-16 (75.0%) from the three-point line, turning a 14-14 tie after the first quarter into a romp with a 22-9 third quarter where it held Texas State (23-9) to just 4-16 shooting (25%).
Junior Kseniia Kozlova pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to cap a stellar tournament, while graduate Caroline Germond ran the offense to the tune of seven assists.

Game Notes

The conference tournament title was James Madison's first since 2016 when the Dukes topped No. 2 seed Drexel in the CAA Tournament final, on March 12. The win gave JMU an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 11 seed, where it bowed out with a loss to No. 6 seed DePaul, 97-67, on March 18 in Louisville, Ky.
The trip to the NCAA Tournament will mark James Madison's 13th in program history.
The 30-point victory over Texas State was the biggest margin in Sun Belt Championship history.
The Dukes join Troy as the only current members of the conference with a Sun Belt Tournament title. The Trojans hoisted the trophy in 2016, 2017, and 2020. UT Arlington notched a 76-61 victory over Troy in the championship game last year on March 7. The Lady Mavericks then joined the Western Athletic Conference the following season.
With seven triples, McDaniel was one shy of tying the tournament record. Western Kentucky's Leslie Logsdon drilled eight three-pointers against Middle Tennessee on March 11, 2003.
McDaniel and Jefferson combined for 11-of-12 (91.7%) from downtown. Moreover, the team's 12 makes is the most this season while their 75.0% clip from behind the arc is the first time the Dukes have made 50.0% or better since going 8-for16 (50.0%) versus UNCW on Feb. 20, 2022. Coming into the game, Texas held opponents to just 27.9% from three.
Moreover, she became the 48th player in Division I women's basketball history to go 100.0% from three with at least seven attempts and the third this season to do so.
James Madison pulled down 46 rebounds, the 11th time this season grabbing 45 or more. Additionally, the Dukes were +15 on the glass, making it the seventh time the team has out-rebounded a Sun Belt opponent by double figures in 2022-23.
JMU reached the 80-point plateau for the fifth time this season and the second time against a conference foe. Previously, the Dukes defeated Troy 80-79 on Jan. 21. The team's highest-scoring game thus far was an 89-point showing versus Queens (N.C.) on Nov. 13.

2023 Sun Belt Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team

Most Outstanding Player: Kiki Jefferson, James Madison
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
Da'Nasia Hood, Texas State
Taelour Pruitt, Texas State
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss
Amari Young, Old Dominion

Up Next
The Dukes will find out their NCAA destination on the NCAA Women's Selection Show, scheduled to air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 12, on ESPN.