JMU Notches Senior Day Win Over Georgia Southern, 78-73

Saturday, February 22

Harrisonburg, Va.

4 p.m.

James Madison University

19-10,12-4Sun Belt

Georgia Southern

14-15,6-10Sun Belt

Ga. Southern

James Madison

2/22/2025 8:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

HARRISONBURG, Va. – In front of a season-high 6,428 fans, James Madison men's basketball held off Georgia Southern to grab a 78-73 win on Senior Day inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center on Saturday afternoon.

JMU won its ninth straight conference game to improve to 19-10 and 12-4 in the Sun Belt. Georgia Southern (14-15, 6-10 SBC) tied the game at 54-54 with 9:25 left but the Dukes surged ahead and did not allow the Eagles to get closer than four the rest of the way.

With the win and loss by South Alabama at Texas State, James Madison now sits in sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt standings with two games left in the regular season.

Bryce Lindsay led JMU in scoring, tallying 18 points for his eighth straight game in double figures. Elijah Hutchins-Everett poured in 12 of his 16 total points in the second half while grabbing seven rebounds. Mark Freeman (13) and Xavier Brown (11) also eclipsed double figures for the Dukes.

Nakavieon White and Bradley Douglas paced Georgia Southern with 18 points, while Eren Banks tallied 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

How It Happened
First Half
James Madison 37, Georgia Southern 37

The Dukes started the contest on a 7-2 run, but the Eagles answered with five straight to tie the game at 7-7 heading into the first media timeout.
Six straight points, including two fast-break layups from Lindsay, put JMU back in front 16-13 with 10:55 left.
The Dukes maintained their momentum and went on a 10-3 run, capped by a Noah Williams layup on the fastbreak to make it 26-16 JMU with 7:45 to go.
The Eagles outscored JMU 21-11 in the final eight minutes of the half to tie the game at 37-37 at the half.

Second Half
James Madison 41, Georgia Southern 36

JMU outscored Georgia Southern 9-2 to begin the half to the first media timeout. Elijah Hutchins Everett scored four points through contact during the stretch and completed an and-one out the timeout to give JMU a 47-39 lead.
Eight unanswered points from the Eagles tied the game at the 12:29 mark (47-47)
Both teams continued exchanging baskets, with Mark Freeman's three-pointer and pair of free throws giving the Dukes a 59-56 lead with 7:29 to go.
Following the timeout, eight straight points from JMU forced an Eagles timeout at the 6:22 mark. Five of JMU's points during the run came from the free throw line (67-56)
The Eagles closed the gap to as little as three points, however, the Dukes held on to the lead for the remainder of the game to give them their final victory at the AUBC this season.

Game Notes

James Madison has won four straight games against Georgia Southern and now is 5-1 against the Eagles all time.
The attendance of 6,428 is the highest this season and the most since Feb. 17, 2024, against Georgia Southern.
Freeman registered his 100th career start and scored the 1,700th point of his career.
Xavier Brown finished with three steals, his eighth game this season with three or more. He leads the Dukes with 45 steals.
The Dukes made 20 free throws for the second time this season