WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOPS RADFORD 85-61 IN SEASON-OPENER

Saturday, November 15

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7 p.m.

James Madison University

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Radford

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Radford

James Madison

11/15/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va., Nov. 15, 2008 ? Sophomore guard Dawn Evans (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast) scored 25 points to pace James Madison to an 85-61 win over Radford in women's basketball Saturday night at the JMU Convocation Center.

It was the season-opening game for both teams.

The Dukes used a 19-4 scoring run to pull away to a 17-point (34-17) lead with 2:52 left in the first half. Five JMU player scored in the run, led by Evans' six and four each from senior forward Kisha Stokes (New York, N.Y./Murry Bergtraum) and sophomore forward/center Jalissa Taylor (Chesterfield, Va./L.C. Bird).

Radford, however, was able to cut the lead to six early in the second half.

The Highlanders outscored JMU 9-2 in the final two minutes of the first period, and a layup by sophomore guard Taleia Moton (Fort Washington, Md./Suitland) with six seconds to go brought Radford within 10, 36-26, at the half.

Then Radford junior forward Charron Leeper (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Shaw) opened the second half by hitting two free throws and a short baseline jumper to bring the score to 36-30 at 18:56.

JMU responded by scoring 18 points while holding Radford to four in a span of seven minutes. Evans scored seven in the run, while Stokes and Taylor added four apiece. That put JMU ahead by 20, 54-34, on a 16-foot jumper by Stokes at 11:54.

Radford never got closer than 18 the rest of the way.

Joining Evans in double figures was Stokes with 15. Every player on the Dukes' 11-member roster scored and 10 of them had at least one rebound. Stokes and Taylor tied for game rebounding honors with nine each.

Moton and redshirt senior guard Vandy Pullen (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee) led Radford with 10 points apiece.