Dukes Host App State For Marquee Matchup Saturday

James Madison Dukes (15-1, 3-1 SBC) vs. App State Mountaineers (12-4, 3-1 SBC)
January 13, 2024 - 4:00 p.m. EST
Harrisonburg, Va. - Atlantic Union Bank Center

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JMU HOSTS APP STATE

The James Madison (15-1, 3-1 SBC) men's basketball team hosts App State (12-4, 3-1) in a highly-anticipated Sun Belt Conference game at the Atlantic Union Bank Center on Saturday at 4 p.m.
App State (79) is the only other Sun Belt team besides JMU (45) that ranks in the Top 100 of the NCAA NET rankings.
The two teams were picked as the top two teams in the Sun Belt before the season.
Both teams enter the contest tied in conference standings with a 3-1 record. They also enter Saturday coming off of dominant wins on Thursday night, as App State defeated Coastal Carolina 70-45.
The teams will face again in Boone, N.C. on January 27th. On Thursday, the Sun Belt Conference and ESPN announced that game will be televised on ESPN2 or ESPNU.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING VS. THE MOUNTAINEERS

This will be the ninth meeting between JMU and App State, with the Mountaineers holding a 5-3 lead in the all-time series.
The teams split two games last season, each winning on the road. In their last meeting, JMU defeated App State 63-57 in Boone on Feb. 4, 2023.
In their last four matchups, two of the games have gone to overtime.
The teams have split four games in Harrisonburg dating back to the 2005-06 season.

SCOUTING APP STATE

In their last outing, App State defeated Coastal Carolina on Thursday night, 70-45.
The suffocating defense was a key factor, holding Coastal Carolina to 31.6 percent (18-57) from the floor, as well as forcing 13 Chanticleer turnovers.
The Mountaineers broke open the game with a 19-0 run in the first half.
KEY PLAYERS: Braeden MacVicar, a 6-foot, 11-inch freshman, made his first start of the season, contributing six points. Jaland Whitehead, a junior center, provided an early spark off the bench, scoring all eight of his points in the first half. Tre'Von Spillers recorded his eighth consecutive double-digit outing, contributing 12 points.
CJ Huntley, a fourth-year senior, is a preseason all-conference selection known for his versatility. He is currently averaging 8.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG, but his role has come more from the bench as he has only started four times this season.
Junior wings Terence Harcum and Christopher Mantis are strong 3-point shooters, combining for 60 of the team's 112 3-pointers so far this season.
Transfers Myles Tate and 6-7 forward Tre'Von Spillers have contributed significantly. Tate brings experience from Butler with 57 games played and 18 starts. He is averaging 7.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Spillers leads the team, scoring 13.3 points and eight rebounds per game. He and 6-foot, 9-inch forward Justin Abson have been a force defensively, fueling the Mountaineers top three national ranking in Blocks Per Game (6.6)
Individually, Abson is ranked sixth in the country with 42 blocks. Additionally, Spillers contributed 26 blocks. Together, they have a combined total of 68 blocks, representing a significant portion of the team's 105 blocks this season. Considering only their blocks, the duo would collectively rank 88th nationwide against every team in the country, averaging 4.2 blocks per game:

84	Georgia Tech (ACC)	15	64	4.3
84	Kansas (Big 12)	15	64	4.3
84	LSU (SEC)	15	64	4.3
88	Justin Abson and Tre'Von Spillers	16	68	4.2
88	Indiana (Big Ten)	16	68	4.2

KEY PLAYERS' MILESTONES

Terrence Edwards Jr. reached the 1,000 point mark against Morgan State on Dec. 22, joining the elite ranks of JMU scorers. This will be his 98^th career game in JMU Purple and Gold.
T.J. Bickerstaff and Julien Wooden are also on pace to reach the 1,000 point milestone. Bickerstaff currently has 956 career points, while Wooden has 928.
Wooden finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, his highest total since Dec. 19 vs. Coppin State, when he also scored 13 points.

CONFERENCE STANDINGS & NCAA RANKING SUMMARY (AS OF JAN. 12)

As JMU continues through Sun Belt play, this game is crucial for establishing early positioning in the conference standings. The Dukes aim to capitalize on their home court advantage against South Alabama.
The Dukes 88.8 points per game, which ranks fourth nationally.
JMU's average scoring margin of +14.5 points per contest ranks 17th in the country, while its rebounding margin of +6.9 is 31st.
The Dukes hold their opponents to 28.8 percent from behind the arc, which is 25th nationally.
Bickerstaff ranks fourth in the nation with a 66.5 field goal percentage, and his six double-doubles rank in the top 30.

A STREAK REMAINS

JMU looks to extend its eight-game win streak at home, maintaining their dominance at the Atlantic Union Bank Center. The Dukes have won seven consecutive home games in the 2023-24 season.
The eight-game streak dates back to February 24th of last season (vs. Georgia State - W, 90-69)

Don't Miss the Action: Follow @JMUMBasketball on Twitter for live updates. Tune in to 92.1 FM / 550 AM for radio commentary by Dave Riggert. Catch the game live on ESPN+ with Steve Buckhantz and Curt Dudley providing commentary.

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T.J. Bickerstaff

Terrence Edwards Jr.

Julien Wooden

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