Week 16 Men's Basketball Preview: James Madison

The James Madison Dukes have started to gain some momentum, currently sitting on a three-game winning streak as they head back on the road, still trying to make up ground in the Sun Belt.

James Madison at Coastal Carolina

James Madison begins their week against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, a team that is also on a little winning streak of its own, having won their last two games. The Dukes sit at 14-13 on the season and are 6-8 against the Sun Belt. The Chanticleers are having a little more success, with a 16-11 record and 8-6 against in-conference play.

In Coastal Carolina’s last game against Louisiana, Joshua Beadle led the way with 29 points, his second-highest scoring performance this season. Beadle is having an excellent season, currently sitting at sixth in the Sun Belt in scoring with 17.0 points per game. Coastal Carolina has a good trio of guards, along with Beadle. AJ Dancler is 11th in the conference in scoring, averaging 15.6 points and shoots 39.6% from three, and Rasheed Jones averages 14.9 points.

Combined for the season, they average 47.5 points per game. Coastal Carolina as an entire team on the year averages 73.5 points per game.

The three of them combined for 54 of the 69 points they scored against Louisiana.

Coastal Carolina has also been able to rely on a solid defense this season, with the 69th defensive rating in college basketball. That has helped make up for an offense that sits at 305th in offensive rating

For the Dukes, they also have a top scorer in the conference, with Justin McBride sitting at seventh, averaging 16.8 points. McBride is beginning to round back into form after missing several games with an ankle injury, as he has scored over 20 in his last two games.

James Madison is coming off one of their more impressive wins of the season, defeating an App State team that sits at second in the Sun Belt. JMU got the victory on the backs of its defense, holding App State to one of its worst scoring outputs of the year.

James Madison has never lost to Coastal Carolina in the history of these two universities, with a 7-0 record against them. This will be the first of two opportunities this season for Coastal Carolina to end this streak.

This is the first matchup of the season between these teams, as they will see each other again on Feb 27.

Tipoff: Wednesday, Feb 18 at 7:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN+

Radio: JMU Network & WCCU Radio

James Madison at Georgia State

The Dukes and the Panthers will meet again after just playing each other last week. That game last week was an exciting overtime matchup that went down to the final seconds on a game-winner by Cliff Davis.

Davis led the way for the Dukes in that one with 26 points and six triples. McBride chipped in with 22 points and nine rebounds.

JMU will look to slow down the duo of Jelani Hamilton and Micah Tucker, who both had success against the Dukes defense. Hamilton led them in scoring with 28, and Tucker had 20, as both were the key factors in Georgia State making a comeback in that game and forcing it to overtime.

Hamilton scored all nine of Georgia State’s overtime points, all of them coming on three-pointers.

Georgia State is currently on a long losing streak, having lost its last six games, tying its longest losing streak of the season. In that losing streak, Georgia State has been in its fair share of tight ball games, with the two-point loss to JMU, one-point loss to Northern Illinois, and two-point loss to South Alabama.

James Madison has won the last seven matchups against the Panthers dating back to 2022.

Tipoff: Saturday, Feb 21 at 2:00 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN+

Radio: JMU Network & WGTJ-FM 97.5