Dukes Set for Rematch Versus Old Dominion

Wednesday, February 25

Harrisonburg, Va.

5 p.m.

James Madison University

Old Dominion

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2/24/2026 9:55:00 AM | Women's Basketball

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison women's basketball opens the final week of the regular season with a Wednesday afternoon meeting with Old Dominion in Harrisonburg. The opening tip is slated for 5 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.

TOWNEBANK ROYAL RIVALRY CHALLENGE

The game is part of the TowneBank Royal Rivalry Challenge, now in its fourth year. JMU won the all-sports challenge in the first two years, 2022-23 and 2023-24, while the departments tied in 2024-25.
The Dukes currently lead the Monarchs 5.5-2.5 in the seven meetings so far in 2025-26.

LAST TIME VS. THE MONARCHS

Bree Robinson registered a career-high 30 points – the most by a Duke this season – as James Madison overpowered Old Dominion, 87-53, in Sun Belt Conference women's basketball action on Valentine's Day inside Chartway Arena.
The Dukes poured in 47 second-half points to hand Old Dominion its worst loss to JMU (-34) in the NCAAW era (1981-Present). James Madison shot 47.8% (32-of-67) from the field, 51.7% (8-of-14) from three, and 88.2% (15-of-17) from the free throw line to capture its sixth straight win and 13 consecutive victories over the Monarchs.
Peyton McDaniel totaled 16 points, knocking down 4-of-5 (.800) from three-point range. Grace McDonough posted another efficient game, hitting 6-of-8 (.750) for 13 points with five rebounds. Zakiya Stephenson produced nine points and four assists, while Ashanti Barnes led all players with five helpers in the win.

COACH O VS. THE COMMONWEALTH

Since Sean O'Regan took over the program in 2016-17, JMU is 44-6 (.880) against Division I teams from Virginia.
The Dukes are 4-1 this year versus Commonwealth opponents, with wins over Liberty (74-61 - Nov. 12), Virginia Tech (65-56 - Nov. 23), VCU (81-63 - Dec. 7), and Old Dominion (87-53 - Feb. 14), and a loss to George Mason (72-57 - Nov. 6).

SAME FIVE? SAME FIVE.

The Dukes have rolled out the same starting five of Zakiya Stephenson, Bree Robinson, Peyton McDaniel, Ashanti Barnes, and Grace McDonough for all 29 games this season, the longest streak with the same starting five ever under Head Coach Sean O'Regan.
Coming into the 2025-26 campaign, Coach O's longest string of games with the same starters to begin a season was nine in 2021-22 with Jamia Hazell, Madison Green, Jaylin Carodine, Kiki Jefferson, and Annalicia Goodman.
According to Assistant Athletic Director for Athletics Communications John Vogel (Youngstown State), there are 12 Division I programs that have used the same starting five all season: Boise State, Eastern Washington, Fairleigh Dickinson, James Madison, Montana State, North Dakota State, Northwestern State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Rice, UC Davis, and Youngstown State.

THE DUKES VS. THE SUN BELT

James Madison holds a 111-73 (.603) record against current Sun Belt Conference foes and is 62-16 (.795) since joining the league in 2022.
Moreover, the Dukes are 56-14 (.800) in regular-season league matchups and had won 21 consecutive regular-season tilts prior to their 83-74 overtime loss to Marshall on Dec. 20, 2025.
James Madison has not lost a home game against a Sun Belt foe since dropping a 73-62 result to Georgia State on Feb. 15, 2024.
JMU has encountered Old Dominion more than any other SBC opponent with 86 meetings, with the Dukes trailing 33-53 in the all-time series. Additionally, ODU is the only team in the league with a winning record against JMU.
The Dukes have never lost to Louisiana (6-0), Southern Miss (5-0), Texas State (4-0), South Alabama (4-0), or ULM (3-0).

NCAA RANKING SUMMARY

JMU owns seven top-75 marks nationally: rebounds per game (19th - 41.86), rebound margin (19th - +8.5), defensive rebounds per game (25th - 28.6), field goal percentage (49th - 44.8), scoring offense (51st - 74.6), scoring margin (56th - +12.3), and assists per game (75th - 15.2).
Individually, Peyton McDaniel is 24th in points (539), Bree Robinson is 28th in steals (74), and Ashanti Barnes is tied for 29th in rebounds (257).

BY THE NUMBERS

9: Peyton McDaniel (2,207) is one of nine active Division I players with 2,000-plus points, alongside Ta'Niya Latson (South Carolina - 2,451), Hannah Hidalgo (2,224), Ny'Ceara Pryor (Texas A&M - 2,156), Audi Crooks (Iowa State - 2,138), Destiny Leo (UNLV - 2,082), Cotie McMahon (Ole Miss - 2,065), Maggie Doogan (Richmond - 2,043), and Olivia Miles (TCU - 2,019).
74: Bree Robinson has tallied 74 steals, good to tie for the seventh most in a single season in program history. The guard is nine steals away from passing Jess Cichowicz for the most single-season steals, finishing with 82 in the 2002-03 season. That season, she set the program single-game record for steals with nine against Charlotte on Dec. 21, 2002.
42: Brianna McLeod is fifth in the nation in blocks (42) among players with no starts, trailing Kennedy Basham (TCU - 45), Kyla Abraham (Baylor - 47), Paulina Hernandez (Youngstown State - 53), and Aziyah Farrier (Stephen F. Austin - 55). Additionally, her 41 rejections are the most by a Duke since Kayla Cooper Williams posted 74 in 2019-20.
84: Grace McDonough has shot 84.6% (33-of-39) from the field over its last seven games. Against App State (Feb. 11), the forward made seven of eight for a career-high 14 points. Doing so, McDonough became the first Sun Belt player to shoot 87.5% or better from the floor with at least seven makes on the road as a freshman since 2011 when Ebony Rowe of Middle Tennessee went 8-of-9 (.889) for 19 points at Florida Atlantic on Jan. 26.

PEYTON'S CAREER STATS

Playing her fifth season of collegiate basketball, Peyton McDaniel has placed herself in the top 20 of career rankings in eight categories: three-point attempts (1st - 943), three-pointers (2nd - 332), field goal attempts (2nd - 1,810), points (2nd - 2,207), three-point attempts per game (4th - 6.37), field goals made (3rd - 788), games played (7th - 148), and rebounds (16th - 979).

MILESTONE TRACKER

With 2,207 career points, Peyton McDaniel is 141 points away from passing Precious Hall (2012-2017) for second in all-time scoring at JMU, tallying 2,347 in her career.
For McDaniel, if she maintains her season scoring average of 18.6, she can move into second in eight games.
Additionally, McDaniel is 21 rebounds away from totaling 1,000 in her career. If she achieves the feat, she will become the second Duke to score 2,000 points and come away with 1,000 rebounds in their career, joining Tamera Young (2004-08), with totals of 2,121 points and 1,127 rebounds.
With 15 points against App State on Feb. 11, Ashanti Barnes became the 35th member of the program's 1,000-point club.
Zakiya Stephenson needs 16 more assists to reach 300 in her collegiate career between her stops at Ole Miss (50 - 2023-24) and JMU (234 - 2024-Present).

HOME SWEET HOME

JMU is 67-23 (.744) since the Atlantic Union Bank Center opened at the start of 2020-21. Moreover, Head Coach Sean O'Regan is 126-33 (.794) when playing in Harrisonburg.
With a home record of 12-4 in 2025-26, the Dukes have won at least a dozen games inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center for the third year in a row.

SEASON TICKETS

Tickets for the 2025-26 JMU Women's Basketball season are still available - both season tickets and single-game tickets can be found here.

PARKING
Reserved Parking

All parking pass holders — both Spot-Specific and Reserved — will enter through the North Entrance of the Ballard Parking Deck. All reserved parking opens two (2) hours before tip-off.

General Parking

General Parking is located in the adjacent surface lots (C12, D3, and R4) as well as the South Entrance of the Ballard Parking Deck. General parking is available beginning two (2) hours before game time. General parking is free of charge, available on a first-come, first-served basis.