A.J. Davis is the kind of player who can literally make a person’s jaw drop in disbelief. Yesterday, he did just that when he dunked all over ODU’s Nick Wright. And JMUsports.com captured it in what might be the greatest JMU sports related photograph I’ve ever seen. I mean, if 10 year old me saw that on a Sports Illustrated poster, I’m quite sure it would be hanging on my wall as soon as I could scrounge up $8. Nick Wright on the other hand, probably doesn’t care much for the picture. He was the unfortunate individual who happened to be occupying the space between A.J. and the rim at the time of the incident. While A.J.’s dunk brought me out of my seat, it knocked Mr. Wright out of the game. Seriously. I haven’t checked the archives, but it’s probably the first time a JMU opponent has ever been dunked out of a game.
The Dukes took care of business yesterday and beat ODU by the score of 56-46. It was an ugly game for much of the first half, with both teams struggling to put the ball in the hoop. JMU found some energy at the end of the opening period and went into the locker room tied at 21-21. ODU stuck to its gameplan and tried to keep it a slowed down, physical contest. Three Dukes’ freshmen kept their composure and helped JMU cruise to a comfortable win. Freshmen Andre Nation, Ron Curry, and Charles Cooke paced the Dukes with combined 32 points. The win game JMU its first sweep of ODU since 2000. The Dukes are now 11-10 overall and 5-3 in the CAA. That puts them in 3rd place in the standings. ODU is terrible and the possibility of the Monarchs going winless in CAA play is looking more and more likely. It’s still a solid win and the fact that JMU could keep its composure and persevere through some ugly ODU-style ball, speaks volumes. The fact that they could do it with three true freshmen leading the way says even more. But really, this game was all about the dunk.
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Wow! That was one hell of a dunk by A.J. Davis. Of course we got pulled away from the game tonight, so we missed it. Apparently we also missed a JMU Sports Blog shout out on the Madizone broadcast in the second half. If we were the superstitious type we might need to start intentionally missing the remaining games. Davis led the Dukes with 16 points as they comfortably cruised by Delaware 64-50. Read all about it here. JMU is back in action Saturday at home against ODU.
Mark Selig reported that Coach Brady informed people that Andrey Semenov might be out for “at least 3 more weeks.” And Charles Cooke won’t return for another two weeks. Many people are probably sick of hearing Brady speak about how his program has been snakebitten by injuries. And maybe they have a point. But is sure seems like the Dukes are hurting without Andrey in the lineup. I’ve heard a lot of folks say that this JMU team seems to play better with him in the lineup. I tend to agree, so I took a quick look at some stats for the Dukes with and without Semenov in the lineup. It turns out he might matter more than we realized.
If you happened to set aside a few hours from your precious weekend to relax and take in JMU’s game against Towson, I’m sorry. I did the same thing and it was miserable. JMU didn’t even deserve to be in the same gym with Towson. The Tigers won 73-47 but it wasn’t really that close. It was a tight contest in the first half, but that was primarily due to the fact that Towson couldn’t get anything going with its star player, Jerrelle Benimon, sitting out with foul trouble. With Benimon out, the Dukes should have been able to take over the game. Instead, they let Towson go on a 10-0 run late and went into the break trailing 31-28. And that was the good half. That means that my bipolar fandom is in full swing. Some days, I’m sure they’re good enough to get hot and make a run. Today is not one of those days.
Well, technically I’m not sure that headline is correct. However, Mike Jenkins, a 2004 graduate of JMU, finished fifth in the 2012 World’s Strongest Man held in September and October of last year. How the hell did we miss this? I don’t think I’ll ever spend my free time deadlifting cars or hauling atlas stones (not that I couldn’t), but I’ve logged countless hours of couch time watching Magnus Ver Magnusson and the like. So that means me and Mike are practically like twins. Or at least we both graduated from the same college or something. read more…
Yes, I said it. Getting to see the Dukes in person I actually came away hopeful about the only thing that really matters in this one-bid CAA year, JMU’s chances in Richmond in March. While this game included a typical and completely expected 2nd half fade from a working lead to an 11-point loss, I have to admit I wasn’t down on the Dukes for much in particular and I sort of see what Coach Brady is working towards with this bunch. I’m sure everyone will crush this idea and continue piling on Brady, but it’s just not worth it in the CAA right now.
More touches please!!!!!!!!!!
First, hideous second-half free throw shooting, more than occasional unauthorized shots by the wrong guys, and a stupid fourth foul on Devon Moore destroyed the Dukes chances in a game chock-full of fouls. And this squad has to learn how to win, how to play with a lead, how to play on the road, and how to play under pressure after a couple of forgettable campaigns. (Here’s a hint, slow down and get touches for Rayshawn Goins on every single important trip). But the Dukes were the better team in terms of athleticism, depth, and versatility tonight even if they haven’t put it all together and aren’t as disciplined (or well-coached?) as they need to be at key times. Mason is basically one GREAT player, Sherrod Wright, and a bunch of guys. They play better when the Greek whitey is on the floor, but overall GMCC actually struggled with JMU’s length and defensive intensity. The Dukes compete, they get back on defense, and Devon Moore, until that fourth foul, was a real neutralizer on Wright.
Overall, this decent loss on the road to a top team said more about JMU’s legitimacy in the CAA than any of the wins over an unspeakably bad ODU team, UNCW, and a banged-up Drexel team. In this league this year, it’s just not worth getting worked up over anything in the regular season as long as your team is healthy and motivated come tourney time, but just a couple more quick notes from getting to see them in person:
1) The freshman are really good. Bessick is learning, Nation has real quickness and was gritting out a tough defensive effort though he was in obvious pain at times, and Curry could be a true leader for this squad. When GMCC made the run to push the lead out, he was positive the whole time with sometimes frustrated teammates, picking guys up, diving for balls, and encouraging even the vets like Goins and Moore. He may not be the most talented of the freshman, but when you see what he does “off-camera” it’s obvious why he’s earned p.t. and Brady’s trust.
2) Love the way Brady is playing the full rotation of 10-11 guys. You could argue it’s because no one’s earned their minutes by standing out, but if you’re building for the end of the season it makes sense. Plus, with Semenov out, and AJ out to lunch most of the time, the Dukes have few options to stretch the floor and are going to be in a lot of sloppy games in this already sloppy conference. Having tons of length and fouls to use in Bessick, Hood, and even Swindle makes JMU a tough matchup for anyone. GMCC had a big man foul out early and another play most of the second with 4 fouls. Good stuff.
Don’t look now, but JMU men’s hoops is one of only three teams in the CAA with a winning record and currently sitting in 3rd place. Yes, it’s very early, but you’ve got to enjoy things when you can when you’ve already lost to Hampton. On Saturday, a Dukes team missing key performers in Semenov and Nation, played a reasonably competent game and got a huge contribution from first-time starter Freshman Forward Taylor Bessick in knocking off preseason CAA favorite, but massively struggling Drexel. Dragons coach Bruiser Flint couldn’t even flip out at his normal level since he was missing three key players as well. Hard to take anything in this game at this point in the season too seriously, but for the first game in a four-game stretch (Drexel, GMU, Towson, Delaware) against the contenders in the league, it was an encouraging start.
What We Liked
Ray Goins’ old-man game is so strong right now. He’s that guy in your men’s league game who you put your worst player on because you just assume that’s who should cover him when you look at the guy, then he kills him and scores the first ten buckets, then the good player on your team moves over, and he still slowly, maddeningly destroys everyone. Goins really got the Dukes going and his odd three midway through the second stopped the big Drexel run and got the Dukes back on track.
Taylor Bessick! The freshmen are good, maybe really good, probably the best Brady has had. And in his first start, Bessick had 9 points, 13 boards, a block, and best of all really helped space the floor as a true big man and gave Goins room to work. He was active throughout the game and is more advanced defensively than any of the “project” big men of the last few years (Flores, Hood, etc.).
Brady’s coaching down the stretch. I’m often hyper-critical of Brady, but I loved the way he managed the last few minutes of this one. He took a timeout on offense, even with the lead, to make sure the young, new-starter-filled lineup didn’t waste a key possession. JMU got Goins on the block one-on-one coming out and a Bessick follow try. Even though neither shot fell, it was so much better than the junk JMU runs when left to their own devices. Then on the last possession that mattered, Drexel went tight man and Brady cleared everyone into a 1-4 and let Devon Moore make the play to win it. It wasn’t rocket science, but after the first eight minutes of the second half, it seemed like Dean Smith stuff.
What We Didn’t Like
The pass-it-around-the-perimeter-and-take-the-worst-forced-shot-you-can-find offense the Dukes run for long stretches of the game. In this game, it was the last five of the 1st and the first eight of the 2nd. Praised coaching above, but tough to see how this isn’t on Brady as well.
How is it not obvious this team is screaming for a crunch-time lineup of Moore, AJ, Curry, Bessick, and Goins right now. Whatever the deal with AJ is, fix it.
Look, we understand as well as anyone why the crowds are so sparse and I don’t blame the students. If the Dukes win a few, the crowds will come back. But word is that the few die-hards who do make the effort and then vocally support the team (or yell at Brady which is also appropriate) are standing out more in the thin population at the Convo these days. And then they’re being harassed and in some cases ejected, essentially just for being loud, by the overly-aggressive and bored security staff. For football games, we’re often more suspicious of students’ claims of harassment since we know from experience that many of those removed are shitcanned, but at hoops games this has never been the norm and I just wish the word would come down from above to let ’em have a good time, even if that means offending a few blue-hairs down low.
Mason Game
Can’t wait to attend the game in Fairfax this Tuesday and heckle Doc Nix! Hope to see lots of Dukes out there like always. Also, join the DC/Nova Duke Club for pre (and post) game festivities at Fat Tuesday’s across the street.
JMU suffered a rather embarrassing loss to Hampton on Monday. Tonight the Dukes flipped the script and sent UNCW home smarting from a 78-50 blowout. The win moved JMU to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the CAA. Fans who put Monday’s debacle behind them and watched this evening’s game were rewarded with an outstanding all around effort from the Dukes. The 28 point win makes me think that this team isn’t ready to give up on itself despite a recent two game skid. Maybe we shouldn’t give up on it either. The biggest complaint most fans probably had after leaving the Convo was that if the Dukes would have hit 79 points on the scoreboard, everyone in attendance would have gotten free chicken nuggets from Chick Fil A. No such luck though, since Matt Brady had Arman Marks dribble out the clock instead of taking one more shot. Nice sportsmanship coach, but free nuggets don’t grow on trees. read more…
This here is a video of Charles the Monarch, a labradoodle who’s hair has been cut (fashioned?) in an attempt to make him look like ODU’s mascot. And according to WTOP, Charles’ lion like appearance led to case of mistaken identity that caused police to investigate if a lion had escaped from the Norfolk Zoo. Thankfully one had not and Norfolk’s streets are completely lion free. I can already hear some of the more desperate JMU fans screaming that if JMU’s admin would step up and make the jump to FBS, the press would be all over Duke Dog look-alike pet stories. In any case, bravo ODU fan. I applaud your enthusiasm even if it comes at the expense of an innocent labradoodle.
h/t @Dukie95 for the link
