HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – Cliff Davis recorded his third straight 20-point game, Preston Fowler notched a career-high 20 points, and James Madison men’s basketball won its sixth straight game, defeating Georgia Southern 82-66 on Wednesday night at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.
JMU (17-13, 9-8 Sun Belt) shot 54.2 percent from the field and outscored Georgia Southern (15-15, 7-10 SBC) 44-29 in the second half while also outrebounding the Eagles 37-25.
Davis finished with 24 points to lead all scorers, his third straight 20-point game and seventh of the season – all in conference play. Davis also knocked down four threes, bringing his season total to 94 and one away from tying Kyle Swanston and Stuckey Mosley for third on the JMU single-season threes list.
Fowler finished with a career-high 20 points while corralling 11 rebounds for the first double-double of his career. Eddie Ricks III recorded 10 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while Kose Egbule finished with 10 points and four assists.
Tyren Moore led Georgia Southern with 20 points but finished just 6-of-16 from the floor. Alden Applewhite notched 15 points while leading the Eagles with seven rebounds.
How It Happened
• After both teams started the contest hot, the Eagles held the Dukes without a field goal for nearly five minutes and built an 18-12 lead at the 12:14 mark.
• Following a Fowler three-pointer that cut the deficit to three, Georgia Southern went on a 9-3 run over the next three minutes to grab a 27-18 advantage with just over eight minutes in the half.
• After both teams traded buckets, the Dukes hit three unanswered shots as time wound down to sneak a one-point lead at the break.
Second Half: James Madison 82, Georgia Southern 66
• The Eagles wasted no time regaining the lead; however, a three-point play from Newhof allowed the Dukes to tie the game at 45 with 12:52 remaining.
• A three-pointer from Egbule, followed by a pair of free throws from Ricks III, allowed JMU to regain its lead with just under 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
• The Dukes never looked back, remaining in the driver’s seat the rest of the way to secure their sixth straight win.
Game Notes
• JMU improved to 6-2 against Georgia Southern.
• Davis finished with four threes, bringing his season total to 94. He is now one away from tying Stuckey Mosley and Kyle Swanston for third on the JMU single-season list.
• Fowler’s 20 points are a career high.
• During JMU’s six-game winning streak, it is holding opponents to 67.3 points per game and 41 percent shooting.
• Ricks III finished with five assists, tying a career-high. He also had five assists against Omaha on Nov. 25.
— JMU Athletics —
