Dukes Return Home to Host Thundering Herd on Thursday

Thursday, January 16

Harrisonburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

Marshall

Tickets

1/14/2025 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

James Madison Dukes (9-8, 2-3 SBC) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (10-8, 3-2 SBC)
Jan. 16, 2025 – 7 p.m. ET
Harrisonburg, Va. - Atlantic Union Bank Center

Game Links
Live Stats · Audio Broadcast · ESPN+ · JMU Game Notes
JMUSports.com · @JMUMBasketball · #GoDukes

DUKES RETURN HOME TO HOST THUNDERING HERD THURSDAY

Following a two-game road trip, James Madison returns to Harrisonburg and the Atlantic Union Bank Center to host Marshall on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.
It will be the second meeting in seven days between the two schools, as Marshall came away with an 80-78 win over JMU last Thursday in Huntington.
The Thundering Herd enter Thursday's contest with a 10-8 (3-2 SBC) record after defeating Georgia Southern 81-69 on Saturday, while JMU is 9-8 and 2-3 in Sun Belt games.
The game will broadcast on ESPN+ with Curt Dudley (PxP), Steve Buckhantz (color), and David Hulvey (sideline).
Dave Riggert will provide radio coverage on WSVA 92.1 FM | 550 AM and the Varsity Network App, with coverage beginning 30 minutes prior to tip.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

JMU is 7-3 against Marshall all-time and 4-2 against the Thundering Herd as Sun Belt foes.
Marshall came away with an 80-78 win over JMU on Thursday, Jan. 9 - snapping a three-game losing streak to the Dukes.
JMU is 3-1 against the Thundering Herd all-time in Harrisonburg, including a 67-52 win on Jan. 20, 2024.
Marshall's lone win against JMU in Harrisonburg came on Feb. 20, 2023 (92-83).

ABOUT MARSHALL

Marshall currently sits at 10-8 and 3-2 in Sun Belt play. The Thundering Herd defeated Georgia Southern 81-69 on Jan. 11 after their first meeting this season with JMU on Jan. 9 which they took on last-second free throws, 80-78.
As a team, Marshall is third in the Sun Belt in scoring offense at 75.5 points per game, while conceding 71.6 points per contest.
In their two games last week, the Thundering Herd shot a combined 23-of-50 (.460) from behind the arc after entering last Thursday's game against JMU last in the Sun Belt at 28.1 percent from deep.
Four players are scoring in double figures: Mikal Dawson (13.3), Obinna Anochili-Killen (12.5), Dezayne Mingo (11.3), and Nate Martin (10). Martin leads Marshall in rebounding with 7.9 per game.
Following the contest, The Herd will travel to Coastal Carolina (Jan. 18), Georgia State (Jan. 23), and Georgia Southern (Jan. 25).

LAST TIME VS. THE HERD

The two teams met in Huntington on Jan. 9, with Marshall coming away with an 80-78 win over JMU in the final seconds.
Mark Freeman poured in 31 points and seven rebounds, including the final seven points for JMU. However, Marshall's Cade Gibbs was fouled by AJ Smith with a second on the clock and sunk two free throws to give The Herd the win.
Jalen Speer finished with 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a perfect 7-of-7 from behind the arc. He is the only player in Division I Men's Basketball this season to make seven threes without a miss.
Mikal Dawson and Gibbs finished with 17 points each as Marshall finished 13-of-24 (.542) from deep, its most three-point makes versus a Division I opponent this season.
The win for The Herd marked their first triumph over JMU at home since Dec. 7, 2010 (67-63).

LAST TIME OUT

App State used a 26-4 run that bridged the halves and scored 49 first-half points to take control and downed James Madison, 86-66, in Sun Belt Men's Basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11 at the Holmes Convocation Center in Boone, N.C.
JMU (9-8, 2-3 SBC) shot just 34.8 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 13 times, while App State (9-7, 3-2 SBC) shot a season-best (vs. DI) 53.8 percent from the field and 10-of-17 (.588) from deep.
Elijah Hutchins-Everett led all JMU players with 19 points and nine rebounds. AJ Smith finished with 13 points – 11 in the second half – and corralled six boards.
The trio of CJ Huntley (21), Myles Tate (21), and Jalil Beaubrun (16) all scored in double figures - with Huntley also grabbing a team-best eight rebounds.
App State also finished with 14 assists on 28 made field goals, led by seven from Tate.
Mark Freeman finished with 10 points, bringing his career total to 1,501. As of Jan. 13, he is one of nine active Division I Men's Basketball players with 1,500 career points and 500 career assists.

COOKIN' AT THE BANK

The Atlantic Union Bank Center has been the home of James Madison men's and women's basketball since the 2020-21 season. This season, JMU is 7-1 inside the friendly confines of the AUBC and own a 51-15 (.772) record at home since the arena opened.
In 2023-24, JMU finished 14-1 at home, its only loss coming to App State (59-55) on Jan. 13, 2024.
Against Sun Belt foes, the Dukes are 16-4 in home contests dating back to 2022-23. Their last loss at home to a Sun Belt opponent at home was to App State on Jan. 13, 2024.
Since the Atlantic Union Bank Center opened in 2020, the Dukes are 27-3 against non-conference foes. The loss to George Mason was JMU's first at home against a non-conference opponent since Jan. 3, 2021 against Morgan State (80-73).

FREEMAN JOINS 1,500-POINT, 500-ASSIST CLUB

Redshirt senior guard Mark Freeman became one of nine active Division I players with 1,500 career points and 500 career assists (as of Monday, January 13) after scoring 10 points at App State last Saturday. He currently sits at 1,501 career points and 504 assists heading into this week's games.
Since the calendar flipped to 2025, Freeman has averaged 19.5 points per game and recorded two 30-point outings in four games. • In league games, the Memphis native has averaged 16.8 points per game, eighth-highest in the Sun Belt.
Freeman scored a season-high 31 points at Marshall on Thursday, his second 30-point game in seven days and the fifth 30-point game in his career.
Freeman's 30-point performance against Southern Miss, which came on only 16 shots, was the third-most by a JMU player since the Atlantic Union Bank Center opened prior to the 2020-21 season behind Vado Morse (32) and Julien Wooden (31).
Through 17 games in 2024-25, Freeman leads JMU in points per game (13.0), assists (58), and assists per game (3.4).
Against Arkansas State on Jan. 4, he picked up the 500th assist of his career and as of Monday, Jan. 13, is one of 22 active Division I Men's Basketball players with 500 assists or more.