{"id":8329,"date":"2016-01-28T22:00:12","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T03:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=8329"},"modified":"2016-01-28T22:00:12","modified_gmt":"2016-01-29T03:00:12","slug":"jmu-drops-to-tie-for-third-with-atrocious-shooting-night-vs-uncw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=8329","title":{"rendered":"JMU Drops to Tie for Third With Atrocious Shooting Night vs. UNCW"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dukes shot horribly and made just the right amount of stupid plays to drop out of first and are staring at a Sunday matchup at potent but defensively challenged William & Mary to avoid falling out of the first four spots in the CAA and back into what used to be called “Pillow Fight Friday” territory.<\/p>\n

18 –\u00a0<\/strong>That’s really the only number you need to know from to explain how the Dukes lost by five points, 78-73 to UNCW tonight. 18 is the number of missed free throws by JMU on the night. Forget that they also made 28 in a chippy, odd night that was dominated (not in any way unusually in the CAA by the way) by trips to the line. But watching YoYo and Morgan shoot free throws is downright painful and they certainly weren’t alone as Dukes up and down the lineup missed clutch freebie after clutch freebie in the second half. No team at any level can complete a comeback without handling their business at the line. Dukes lost by 5 and left 18 points on the line. Nothing else matters.<\/p>\n

36, 31 –\u00a0<\/strong>Those are the Dukes FG and 3P percentages respectively. Basically they couldn’t throw the ball off a dock and hit water tonight. And that was in no small part because UNCW, at least at the top of their rotation, is probably the most athletic team we’ve seen in the CAA. They clearly had a little more juice in the starting lineup, though Brady did an admirable job trying to test their bench and fitness by using JMU’s superior depth and diversity throughout the game (and acknowledging early on that the Seahawks athleticism called for a lot more Morgan\/Grays\/McLean and a lot less Kent\/Vodo. In the end, UNCW almost made enough dumb, tired plays of their own to let the Dukes get all the back, but this is the one opponent we don’t want to see in the bracket in Baltimore if they can be avoided.<\/p>\n

\"THIS<\/a>

THIS is the only thing the Dukes appear to be aiming at from the free throw line<\/p><\/div>\n

Positives –\u00a0<\/b> Yes, there were positives. First, Ron Curry matched his career high with 28 and in doing so moved into 11th on JMU’s all-time scoring list. His massively improved outside shot has turned him into one of the CAA’s best players. Next, the bench provided some great performances tonight. Satkus was a big part of steadying the ship in the first half, Morgan was a huge spark in the late-game near comeback despite his flat, awful, no good, very bad motion from the line, and Grays is just a player we are coming to love. His all-court game and especially his smart, gritty defense is just impossible not to enjoy.<\/p>\n

Now go beat the Nerds and don’t pull this crap at the line again. I mean seriously, can we get them some video of Canyon Barry – yes THAT Rick Barry’s kid – from Charleston who was shooting a Steph Curry-esque percentage underhanded before his season-ending injury?!<\/p>\n