What happens when one of the league’s best scorer’s is left wide open
for a game tying three pointer? Marcus Thornton misses it and JMU sips into
their first semi-final Sunday in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament
since 2001 with a 72-67 thrilling victory over William & Mary. It’s the
first time the Dukes have advanced to any round since 2010.
“I knew we were probably going to overtime,” Devon Moore said. Moore was
beat by Thornton on the play that left him wide open for the three, but like
last Saturday night Thornton, could not connect from deep at the end when his
team needed it most.
“I thought that was a whale of a game,” coach Matt Brady said.
Moore, knowing that a defeat would end
his career at JMU didn’t leave anything to spare Saturday night in Richmond.
The redshirt senior finished with 20 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.
He began the game 7-7 from the field, including three long balls, which tied a
career high set against William & Mary.
His was not the only career that would’ve been terminated upon defeat.
A.J. Davis also knew it was win or head home for good. Davis, as expected from
Brady’s weekly press conference got the start, just his sixth of the season.
Brady said Davis would start to prevent a “slow start” that usually
plagues the Dukes especially away from the Convo. It took him a few shots, but
once he got going, so did the team. Davis finished with 20 points and five
rebounds. A second half tip-slam by Davis really ignited the Dukes as they
trailed by as many as seven in the half.
Redshirt senior forward,
Rayshawn Goins was not a huge factor in the Dukes’ win over W&M last
Saturday. Early into the second half, Brady benched the big man, not pleased
with his effort on defense and in particular his matchup with Tim Rusthoven.
“It’s not a great matchup,” Brady said last night.
Goins played just eight first half minutes logging a lone rebound. Brady
chose to start him in the second half and it could not have been a better
decision on his part. Goins grabbed five boards in the second half, four of
which were offensive. He topped this with 13 crucial points down the stretch to
help the Dukes.
“I was waiting to see if he’d get that look in his eye,” Brady said of
Goins when he was on the bench. “He did an extraordinary job helping his team
win.”
Goins’ key rebounds contributed to JMU dominating the glass. The Dukes
won the battle 34-23 over the Tribe and most importantly grabbed 14 offensive
boards, which resulted in 17-second chance points.
“I thought the plays we made on the glass were the difference in the
game,” Brady said.
Down 56-49, JMU put together a 17-2 run that proved to be the turning
point in the contest. This run however was also met by very poor foul shooting
from the Dukes. JMU went 2-6 from the stripe in the course of just a couple of
minutes.
The team finished just 9-18 from, something overlooked in a win, but
still important, especially when a trip to the NCAA tournament is at the end of
the tunnel.
So the Dukes live to see another day. They proved last night that
Richmond could be a successful playing ground after years of inconsistency and
early eliminations. They will face off with the two seeded Delaware Blue Hens at
4:30 p.m. Delaware knocked off Hofstra in Saturday’s quarterfinal action.
“It’s a step for our basketball program,” Brady said. “It’s a program
win more than anything else.”
The Dukes are 2-0 against DU, which includes the thrilling buzzer beater
victory in Newark just three weeks ago. They will need to keep the Hens’ senior
Jamelle Haggins in check in the scoring column, but more importantly on the
glass. Brady knows he cannot match them with size, so they will resort to their
quickness and athleticism to counteract the size differential.
JMU’s 40 points in the paint Saturday night will really be challenged in
the matchup with Delaware. Haggins and fellow senior, Josh Brinkley prove to be
strong defensive presences.
Brady will also need to find a way to lockdown on Devon Saddler
defensively. Putting Moore on him would probably give JMU the best shot at
limiting his scoring production.
As of Saturday, since 2009, teams are 13-0 in the third matchup with a
team after sweeping the two game season series. Statistics are on the Dukes side.
“I’m really happy for the JMU community and I want them to be here for a
long weekend,” Brady said.
At this point last season, all the JMU hoops talk was surrounding
Brady’s contract situation. Last night was one of the first media mentions of
it all season.
“I’ll be fine,” Brady said. “This is about our team trying advance and
doing something special because I have seniors that I think can get it done.”
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