Dukes Knock Off CofC to Stay Tied at the Top

JMU extended its winning streak to five games by beating College of Charleston 68-61 in the Convo. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but was pushed back to Sunday afternoon due to the snow. The Dukes made it worth the wait.

Yohanny Dalembert lead JMU with a career high 21 points to go along with a game high 8 boards. Jackson Kent regained his shooting touch and pitched in with 10 points. Winston Grays, who is emerging as the Dukes’ glue guy, had a great game and finished with 13 points. Ironically enough, the only player on JMU’s roster who attempted more than 10 field goals, didn’t hit any of them. Ron Curry finished a disappointing 0-11 from the field. He still managed to contribute, giving Matt Brady 38 turnover free minutes.

The win keeps JMU in a logjam at the top of the CAA tied for first with UNCW, Northeastern, and William & Mary. The Dukes are now 18-11 overall and 11-5 in the CAA. CofC sits at 8-21 and 3-13. We’re in the homestretch and JMU actually has a chance to head to Baltimore with the top seed. Of course if this season has shown us anything, it’s that virtually any team could get hot and earn the league’s bid regardless of seed. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look back at today’s win. Here are three quick thoughts on the game.

YoYo Tho…

You know we’ve loved this guy since he first started getting serious minutes last season. Even as charter members of the YoYo fan club though, we’re surprised how far he’s come as a sophomore. We thought he’d eventually be a difference maker with his defense and rebounding and would occasionally score in double figures. It’s clear we were wrong. He’s a legit scorer with an impressive array of post moves, which he put on display today. He also can get to the free throw line, something else he did today. You’re probably sick of hearing this, but he’s still learning the game. If he keeps progressing at this rate, he’s going give CAA teams nightmares the next two seasons.

The Charity Stripe

After putting on some amazing shooting displays recently, JMU had a rather average day from the field. In fact, CofC shot the ball better than JMU for the game (42% to 41%) and also managed to attempt 9 more shots. So how did JMU win? By getting to the line. The Dukes earned 35 free throw attempts on just 46 field goal attempts. That equates to an outstanding 76% Free Throw Rate. JMU knocked down 24 from the stripe. CofC on the other hand, shot a blistering 89% for the line, but only attempted 9 free throws. The Cougars had a meager 16% Free Throw Rate. JMU played aggressive and got to the line often. The Cougars didn’t. That was pretty much the difference.

Beating a Team They Should Beat

Don’t let CofC’s record food you. The Cougars have played a bunch of close games and even managed to defeat W&M. They’re a tough out. Still, this was a game JMU was expected to win. And the Dukes did. Because that’s what they do. They beat the teams they’re supposed to, going a perfect 11-0 in the CAA against teams other than W&M, Northeastern, and UNCW. Unfortunately, JMU is a combined 0-5 when facing those teams.

Naysayers will point to the above to downplay JMU’s achievements. Yes, the Dukes are still looking for a breakthrough CAA win. And they’re far from the most talented team in the league. But they’re exceeding expectations and have avoided getting tripped up by the league’s lesser squads. Aren’t those marks of a good team?

We’re not saying they’re great. We know the CAA isn’t as strong as it once was. Here’s the thing though, most leagues aren’t. Because college basketball in general is weaker than it used to be. So if folks want to caveat the hell out JMU’s success, have at it. We’ll just keep on enjoying the season and rooting for Brady and the boys to cut down the nets in Baltimore.