Bickerstaff scores 21 to lead No. 20 James Madison over 82-65 Texas State
HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) T.J. Bickerstaff had 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead No. 20 James Madison to a 82-65 victory against Texas State on Saturday to stay undefeated.
Terrence Edwards added 17 points and Noah Freidel 11 for the Dukes (13-0, 1-0 Sun Belt).
Coleton Benson scored all 19 of his points in the second half and Kaden Gumbs had 14 points with five rebounds and three assists for the Bobcats (6-7, 0-1).
“This JMU team just kind of reminds me of a really, really good boxer,” Texas State coach Terrence Johnson said. “They have multiple styles, whether or not they are counterpunchers or coming out throwing haymakers. They pick their spot to knock you out. When they get a lead on you, man, it’s extremely difficult to come back.”
The Bobcats scored the game’s opening bucket before James Madison responded with a 13-2 run sparked by a pair of Julien Wooden 3-pointers to grab a lead five minutes in. The Dukes led by eight with eight minutes to go in the first half after a steal and layup by Raekwon Horton.
But the Bobcats chipped away and got back within one late in the first half on a 3-pointer by Gumbs. Bickerstaff made tough plays in the paint as JMU extended the lead to double digits, but Gumbs beat the buzzer before halftime to cut the Dukes' lead to 36-28 at the break.
Bickerstaff came out hot to open the second half, and JMU scored six quick points to grab its biggest lead to that point. The Bobcats went nearly six minutes without scoring as JMU took a 51-30 lead eight minutes into the second period.
“The goal was to go 1-0 in the Sun Belt,” JMU coach Mark Byington said. “That’s a challenging team to play coming back from Christmas break and our guys knew it. They got us here last year and I think that helped. We had great practices coming in and we were focused. I think that got us off to good start, knowing that if we didn’t play well that team could beat us.”
Gumbs continued to make big plays for the Bobcats, who got back within 13 midway through the second. But Bickerstaff was too much for Texas State to handle. The Boston College transfer got another transition dunk and JMU extended its lead to 27 points after back-to-back 3s from Michael Green and Edwards.
THE BIG PICTURE
James Madison improved to 13-0 for the first time in program history, increasing the nation’s longest winning streak and the longest streak ever at JMU. The Dukes opened up conference play with a victory before heading on what could be their toughest road trip of the Sun Belt schedule, with games at Louisiana-Lafayette and Southern Miss.
The Bobcats had back-to-back games against two of the three undefeated Division I teams remaining in the nation heading into Saturday. The visit to JMU followed a 72-37 loss at No. 3 Houston.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
James Madison remained ranked No. 20 for nearly all of December, after crawling into the polls for the first time ever following a season-opening victory at Michigan State.
UP NEXT
Texas State: Returns to San Marcos, Texas, to play Coastal Carolina on Thursday.
James Madison: Travels to face Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Brandon Love vs. T.J. Bickerstaff (Bobcats gains possession) | |||
19:47 | +2 | Christian Turner makes two point jump shot (Kaden Gumbs assists) | 2-0 | |
19:33 | Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot | |||
19:31 | Bobcats defensive rebound | |||
18:58 | Dylan Dawson misses two point jump shot | |||
18:56 | Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound | |||
18:38 | Michael Green III turnover (lost ball) (Jordan Mason steals) | |||
18:33 | Dylan Dawson turnover (bad pass) (Terrence Edwards Jr. steals) | |||
18:26 | Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot | |||
18:24 | Julien Wooden offensive rebound | |||
18:14 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup | 2-2 | |
17:51 | Kaden Gumbs misses two point jump shot | |||
17:49 | Noah Freidel defensive rebound | |||
17:40 | +3 | Julien Wooden makes three point jump shot (T.J. Bickerstaff assists) | 2-5 | |
17:13 | Jordan Mason misses three point jump shot | |||
17:11 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
17:06 | +2 | Noah Freidel makes two point layup (T.J. Bickerstaff assists) | 2-7 | |
16:45 | Dylan Dawson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:43 | Dukes defensive rebound | |||
16:29 | +2 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point layup | 2-9 | |
16:08 | +2 | Dylan Dawson makes two point layup | 4-9 | |
16:01 | +3 | Julien Wooden makes three point jump shot (Michael Green III assists) | 4-12 | |
15:40 | Coleton Benson misses three point jump shot | |||
15:38 | Noah Freidel defensive rebound | |||
15:27 | Coleton Benson shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul) | |||
15:27 | TV timeout | |||
15:27 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:27 | +1 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-13 | |
15:07 | Christian Turner misses two point jump shot | |||
15:05 | Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound | |||
14:58 | Jordan Mason personal foul | |||
14:52 | Michael Green III misses two point jump shot | |||
14:50 | Jordan Mason defensive rebound | |||
14:36 | Julien Wooden shooting foul (Christian Turner draws the foul) | |||
14:36 | +1 | Christian Turner makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-13 | |
14:36 | +1 | Christian Turner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-13 | |
14:22 | +2 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot | 6-15 | |
13:52 | +2 | Jordan Mason makes two point layup (Chris Nix assists) | 8-15 | |
13:31 | Chris Nix blocks Xavier Brown's two point layup | |||
13:29 | Josh O'Garro defensive rebound | |||
13:20 | Josh O'Garro misses two point layup | |||
13:18 | Chris Nix offensive rebound | |||
13:15 | +2 | Chris Nix makes two point layup | 10-15 | |
12:55 | Jaylen Carey misses two point layup | |||
12:53 | Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound | |||
12:50 | Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Chris Nix steals) | |||
12:34 | Xavier Brown personal foul | |||
12:32 | Coleton Benson misses two point jump shot | |||
12:30 | Brandon Love offensive rebound | |||
12:24 | Brandon Love misses two point layup | |||
12:22 | Julien Wooden defensive rebound | |||
12:17 | Xavier Brown misses two point layup | |||
12:15 | Josh O'Garro defensive rebound | |||
11:51 | Dontae Horne misses two point layup | |||
11:49 | Jaylen Carey defensive rebound | |||
11:42 | +2 | Julien Wooden makes two point layup (Noah Freidel assists) | 10-17 | |
11:13 | Coleton Benson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:11 | Kaden Gumbs offensive rebound | |||
11:07 | Kaden Gumbs misses two point jump shot | |||
11:05 | Josh O'Garro offensive rebound | |||
10:57 | Dontae Horne misses three point jump shot | |||
10:55 | Xavier Brown defensive rebound | |||
10:43 | Raekwon Horton misses two point jump shot | |||
10:41 | Dontae Horne defensive rebound | |||
10:12 | +3 | Dontae Horne makes three point jump shot (Kaden Gumbs assists) | 13-17 | |
9:58 | Kaden Gumbs shooting foul (Xavier Brown draws the foul) | |||
9:58 | TV timeout | |||
9:58 | Xavier Brown misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
9:58 | Xavier Brown misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
9:58 | Brandon Love defensive rebound | |||
9:42 | Jordan Mason misses two point jump shot | |||
9:40 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
9:31 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists) | 13-19 | |
9:12 | +2 | Jordan Mason makes two point jump shot | 15-19 | |
8:44 | Brandon Love shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul) | |||
8:44 | +1 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-20 | |
8:44 | +1 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-21 | |
8:32 | Dylan Dawson turnover (bad pass) (Raekwon Horton steals) | |||
8:28 | +2 | Raekwon Horton makes two point layup | 15-23 | |
8:01 | +2 | Kaden Gumbs makes two point layup (Chris Nix assists) | 17-23 | |
7:43 | Raekwon Horton misses three point jump shot | |||
7:41 | Chris Nix defensive rebound | |||
7:34 | TV timeout | |||
7:18 | Terrence Edwards Jr. blocks Dylan Dawson's two point jump shot | |||
7:16 | Michael Green III defensive rebound | |||
7:12 | Christian Turner shooting foul (Bryant Randleman draws the foul) | |||
7:12 | Bryant Randleman misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:12 | Bryant Randleman misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
7:12 | Chris Nix defensive rebound | |||
6:45 | Dylan Dawson turnover (bad pass) | |||
6:40 | Noah Freidel offensive foul | |||
6:40 | Noah Freidel turnover (offensive foul) | |||
6:18 | Noah Freidel personal foul | |||
6:12 | +2 | Jordan Mason makes two point jump shot | 19-23 | |
5:51 | Chris Nix blocks T.J. Bickerstaff's two point layup | |||
5:49 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
5:40 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
5:39 | Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound | |||
5:39 | Christian Turner personal foul | |||
5:35 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup | 19-25 | |
5:15 | Josh O'Garro misses three point jump shot | |||
5:13 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
5:12 | Chris Nix personal foul | |||
5:12 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
5:12 | Jordan Mason defensive rebound | |||
5:11 | T.J. Bickerstaff personal foul | |||
4:51 | +2 | Dylan Dawson makes two point layup | 21-25 | |
4:20 | Xavier Brown misses three point jump shot | |||
4:18 | Jordan Mason defensive rebound | |||
4:02 | +3 | Kaden Gumbs makes three point jump shot (Jordan Mason assists) | 24-25 | |
3:50 | +3 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes three point jump shot (Michael Green III assists) | 24-28 | |
3:25 | Brandon Love offensive foul | |||
3:25 | Brandon Love turnover (offensive foul) | |||
3:25 | TV timeout | |||
3:08 | +2 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point layup | 24-30 | |
2:49 | Jaylen Carey personal foul | |||
2:34 | +2 | Kaden Gumbs makes two point layup | 26-30 | |
2:19 | Julien Wooden misses three point jump shot | |||
2:17 | Julien Wooden offensive rebound | |||
1:58 | Jaylen Carey misses two point jump shot | |||
1:54 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
1:44 | +2 | Noah Freidel makes two point layup (T.J. Bickerstaff assists) | 26-32 | |
1:12 | Jordan Mason turnover (lost ball) (Terrence Edwards Jr. steals) | |||
1:07 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point dunk (Noah Freidel assists) | 26-34 | |
1:06 | Bobcats 30 second timeout | |||
0:45 | Dylan Dawson misses two point jump shot | |||
0:43 | Chris Nix offensive rebound | |||
0:37 | Chris Nix turnover (lost ball) (Julien Wooden steals) | |||
0:32 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup | |||
0:30 | Dylan Dawson defensive rebound | |||
0:26 | Michael Green III personal foul (Dylan Dawson draws the foul) | |||
0:26 | Dylan Dawson misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
0:26 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
0:06 | Chris Nix shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul) | |||
0:06 | +1 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-35 | |
0:06 | +1 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-36 | |
0:01 | +2 | Kaden Gumbs makes two point layup | 28-36 | |
0:00 | End of period |