Dukes Face Road Test at Marshall Thursday

Thursday, January 9

Huntington, W.Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

Marshall

1/7/2025 3:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

James Madison Dukes (9-6, 2-1 SBC) at Marshall Thundering Herd (8-8, 1-2 SBC)
Jan. 9, 2025 – 7 p.m. ET
Huntington, W.Va. - Cam Henderson Center

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

DUKES FACE ROAD TEST AT MARSHALL THURSDAY NIGHT

The James Madison men's basketball team begins a two-game road swing at Marshall on Thursday, January 9 at 7 p.m.
The Dukes have won three straight games, the last being a 67-62 triumph over Sun Belt favorites Arkansas State last Saturday at the Atlantic Union Bank Center. JMU also defeated Southern Miss 83-72 on Thursday.
Marshall comes into the game with an 8-8 record, going 1-1 last week. The Thundering Herd won 77-71 over Texas State on Jan. 2 but suffered a 58-57 setback at the hands of Troy on Saturday, Jan. 4.
The game will stream on ESPN+ with Mark Martin (PxP) and Ot Elmore (color). Dave Riggert will call the game on WSVA 92.1 FM | 550 AM and the Varsity Network App, with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.
JMU is hunting for its first road win of the season (0-4), while Marshall is 8-2 at the Cam Henderson Center. In home games this season, The Thundering Herd are scoring 79.8 points per game while outscoring their opponents by an average of 13.4 points per game.

JMU VS. MARSHALL

JMU is 7-2 against Marshall all-time and 4-1 against the Thundering Herd as Sun Belt foes - including three straight wins.
The teams last met in the Quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Championship, with JMU taking an 81-64 victory on March 9, 2024. JMU also defeated Marshall 84-58 on Feb. 21, 2024 and 67-52 on Jan. 20, 2024, with the latter being at home.
The Dukes are 3-1 against the Thundering Herd in Huntington, the only loss coming in the first matchup between the two schools on Dec. 7, 2010 (67-63).

Last Five Meetings:

March 9, 2024 (Pensacola, Fla)	W, 83-70
February 21, 2024 (Huntington, W.Va.)	W, 84-58
January 20, 2024 (Harrisonburg, Va.)	W, 67-52
February 22, 2023 (Harrisonburg, Va.)	L, 83-92
December 31, 2022 (Huntington, W.Va.)	W, 72-66

ABOUT MARSHALL

Marshall currently sits at 8-8 and 1-2 in Sun Belt games. The Thundering Herd defeated Texas State 77-71 on Jan. 2 but suffered close losses to Southern Miss (68-66) and Troy (58-57).
Marshall landed at 10th in the Preseason Sun Belt Coaches Poll. Senior forward Nate Martin and fifth-year forward Obinna Anochili-Killen were named to the first and second teams, respectively.
As a team, Marshall is fourth in the Sun Belt in scoring offense (74.9 points per game), while giving up 71.3 ppg. They are allowing opponents to shoot 44 percent from the floor while shooting 43.9 percent themselves. Marshall is last in the Sun Belt in three-point FG% at 28.1, and fourth in blocked shots (4.13/game).
Three players are scoring in double figures: Anochili-Killen (13.1), Mikal Dawson (12.6), and Dezayne Mingo (11). Martin leads Marshall in rebounding with 7.7/game.
Following the matchup, Marshall will embark on a four-game road swing, which begins with a rematch with JMU on Jan. 16. The Herd will then travel to Coastal Carolina (Jan. 18), Georgia State (Jan. 23), and Georgia Southern (Jan. 25).

LAST TIME OUT

James Madison overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to upend Arkansas State, 67-62, on Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.
Xavier Brown (18) and Elijah Hutchins-Everett (17) combined for 35 points on 14-of-26 (.538) shooting to lead the Dukes' offense. JMU held a commanding 41-30 edge on the boards, with AJ Smith and Eddie Ricks III reeling in nine apiece.
JMU trailed by as many as 13 (39-26) in the first half, but the Dukes clawed back, with a three-pointer from Hutchins-Everett tying the game at 55-55 with 6:15 left, which sparked a 10-0 run to give JMU a 62-55 lead.
After a season-high 12 turnovers in the first half, the Dukes committed only three turnovers in the second half.
A-State's 23 second-half points was six lower than its previous season-low, which was 28 in the first half against UAB on Dec. 15.

LOVINGS-WATTS MAKES INSTANT IMPACT

Northern Illinois transfer Will Lovings-Watts made his JMU debut against Southern Miss on Jan. 2, scoring five points and collecting two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 10 minutes of action against the Golden Eagles.
The native of Jeffersonville, Ind., - who was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team in 2023-24 - averaged 6.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game for the Huskies in the 2023-24 season.
He also played five minutes against Arkansas State last Saturday, making a three-pointer - his only shot attempt.
"I think he can help this team," Head Coach Preston Spradlin said postgame Thursday when asked about Lovings-Watts. "He gave us a great spark and I think is only scratching the surface once he gets reps.

SWAGG SCORES 30; HITS ASSIST MILESTONE

Redshirt senior guard Mark Freeman scored a season-high 30 points in JMU's 83-72 win over Southern Miss on Thursday, Jan. 2. It was Freeman's fourth career 30-point game and his first in a JMU uniform. He finished an efficient 9-of-16 (.563) from the floor and 4-of-8 (.500) from behind the arc and also distributed four assists.
The 30 points is the third-most by a JMU player since the Atlantic Union Bank Center opened prior to the 2020-21 season, joining Vado Morse (32) and Julien Wooden (31). He became the first JMU player to score 30 or more since Terrence Edwards Jr. also had 30 at Georgia State on Feb. 28, 2024.
Through 15 games in 2024-25, Freeman is third on JMU in points per game (12.0) and leads the Dukes in assists (54) and assists per game (3.6). Against Arkansas State on Jan. 4, he picked up the 500th assist of his career - making him the 27th active Division I player with 500 or more assists.

**Single Game Points by JMU Player at the Atlantic Union Bank Center (2020-present)**
**Pts Player (Opponent) Date**
32	Vado Morse (College of Charleston)	1/22/22
31	Julien Wooden (ULM)	1/18/24
30	Mark Freeman (Southern Miss)	1/2/25
29	Terrence Edwards Jr. (Towson)	2/26/22
	Matt Lewis (Alice Lloyd)	12/20/20