Dukes Top Akron 73-59; Sun Belt Claims MAC-SBC Challenge Belt

Saturday, February 10

Harrisonburg, Va.

6 p.m.

James Madison University

22-3,9-3Sun Belt

Akron

18-6,10-1MAC

Akron

James Madison

Dukes Top Akron 73-59; Sun Belt Claims MAC-SBC Challenge Belt

2/10/2024 10:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Michael Green III scored a team-high 17 points while shooting 80 percent from three and dishing out a game-high four assists as the James Madison (22-3, 12-1 SBC) men's basketball team came away with a 73-59 non-conference win over Akron (18-6, 10-1 MAC) on Saturday night.

With the win, James Madison is now 22-3 on the season, which ties the school record for wins in a regular season. The 1981-82 NCAA tournament team won 22 regular season games and finished 24-6.

JMU shot 51 percent as a team on the game, while its defense held the Zips to 27 percent shooting in the first half, resulting in their lowest-scoring half of the season (24 points).

Terrence Edwards Jr. and TJ Bickerstaff scored 15 and 14 points, respectively, to round out the Dukes in double figures, while Raekwon Horton led the team with nine rebounds.

For Akron, Enrique Freeman recorded his nation-leading 21^st double-double by scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds before fouling out in the second half. The Zips shot just 17 percent from three throughout the game.

How It Happened
1^st Half

T.J. Bickerstaff finished on an up-and-under layup to open the scoring. This was the second consecutive game that JMU scored first after going ten-straight games without putting the first points on the board.
JMU's defense was locked-in and Akron missed its first nine shots from the field.
Coming out of the first media timeout, Terrence Edwards Jr. made a free throw to give JMU a 6-2 lead.
Ali Ali hit the first field goal for the Zips, but Julien Wooden responded with a jumper from just inside the arc to make it 8-4.
Jaylen Carey found Raekwon Horton with a pass for a layup underneath, and then on the next possession, the freshman slammed one down for his first points of the game. Michael Green III then made his first 3-pointer of the game, forcing Akron to call a timeout as JMU had pulled to a 17-8 lead with 10 minutes to go.
The Dukes hit seven of their first 12 shots from the field, and forced five turnovers by the Zips.
Akron was scoreless for a four-minute stretch before Sammy Hunter hit a 3-pointer, the team's first of the game, with 7:26 left in the half.
Akron went on an 8-0 run, which was capped-off by a Tavari Johnson 3-pointer, to take their first lead of the game (21-19). The Zips held JMU 1-of-10 from the field during this stretch.
Michael Green III connected again from deep, and Jaylen Carey finished on another two-hand slam, as James Madison closed the half on a 7-3 run and with a 28-24 lead.
Through the first 20 minutes, JMU held Akron to shoot 7-of-26 from the field (27 percent).
This was the lowest scoring half for the Zips this season.

2^nd Half

Terrence Edwards Jr and Xavier Brown both hit 3-pointers, but Akron proceeded to go on a 10-0 run behind 6-of-7 shooting to start the half, re-taking the lead for the second time (38-36).
JMU then outscored Akron 14-6 through the next seven minutes, giving the Dukes a 52-44 lead that they would not look back from.
Michael Green III hit two more 3-pointers down the stretch.
With less than five minutes remaining, Noah Freidel hit a transition three, his first bucket of the game, and Julien Wooden made a layup to give JMU its largest lead of the game to that point 63-50.
The Dukes outscored Akron 10-9 in the final four minutes of play to finish with a 14-point victory at home (73-59).
JMU's victory over Akron capped a 9-2 day for the Sun Belt over MAC opponents, earning the Sun Belt Conference the MAC-SBC Challenge belt.

Other Notes:

JMU dominated Akron in the paint, 40-28
Michael Green III's 17-point performance was the first time the guard reached double figures 15 games. His 4-of-5 shooting from three (.800) was his best of the season with at least two attempts.
The Dukes are now 2-1 all-time against Akron, and 12-9 against current MAC members - 3-0 this season.
James Madison is 13-0 this season in non-conference games.
Jaylen Carey finished with eight points, two rebounds and three assists.
Bryant Randleman added two points in the contest, and now has 696 points in his career.
In addition to his team-high 17 points, Michael Green III had game-high four assists. He now has 497 assists in his career.

What's Next

The Dukes are home for two more games next week, hosting Georgia State on Thursday, and then Georgia Southern on Saturday. Saturday will be Senior Day and the last game they play at home this season.