No. 19 James Madison stays unbeaten with 68-61 win over Louisiana-Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) Noah Freidel hit two 3-pointers in the final two minutes, Terrence Edwards led all scorers with 19 points and T.J. Bickerstaff had 14 points and 11 rebounds as No. 19 James Madison remained undefeated with a physical 68-61 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday night.
The Dukes (14-0, 2-0 Sun Belt) went on a 14-0 run midway through the second half to open a 49-40 lead and snap the Cajuns' 19-game home wining streak. Bickerstaff scored nine of his points during the run.
“We got in rhythm in the second half,” James Madison coach Mark Byington said. “The first half we had a lot of good shots right around the rim, but just couldn’t finish. We started pressing, taking bad ones. When the good ones won’t go in, you start taking bad ones, but in the second half we found that rhythm and we put the game away.”
Ragin’ Cajuns coach Bob Marlin said despite the loss, he thought his team played well. The Cajuns held a lead for the majority of the game.
"We played really good defense, but rebounding was a problem,” Marlin said. “We’ve got to clean that up as the season progresses.”
A physical game that featured multiple tough fouls, ended with a scuffle as both teams headed to their respective locker rooms. Marlin said emotions heated up, but he wasn’t quite clear on what started it.
“I know (James Madison) was chippy in the handshake line,” Marlin said. “They were talking a little bit and it appeared like one of their players who was in street clothes began cursing. That’s when our guys rallied and ran out, but I’m not really sure exactly what happened.”
James Madison outrebounded the Cajuns 46-31. The Dukes opened the game on 1-of-12 shooting, but the Cajuns (7-7, 0-2) never led by more than eight points. Despite the Cajuns having four in double figures, led by Kentrell Garnett’s 17 points, Marlin said his team’s inability to make shots was the difference.
“We could have had a much bigger lead in the first half,” said Marlin. The Cajuns led 23-22 at the half. “I feel like we should have been up eight or 10, but we gave it back to them."
Kobe Julien added 15 points and Kitenge Hosana had 11. Themus Fulks, who averaged 11.6 points per game coming into Thursday, finished with eight points on 4-of-14 shooting. Joe Charles had a game-high 15 rebounds.
After an early 3-2 lead, the Dukes were behind in the game until 11:54 to play. With the Dukes up 58-57, Freidel, who finished the game with 11 points, hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to open up a seven-point lead.
“It’s a big win, but it’s already behind us,” Byington said. “We are moving on to Southern Miss and we know they’re going to be tough. Last year we were in this boat with a hard-fought win and then facing Southern Miss. We know it’s going to be another tough one Saturday.”
UP NEXT
James Madison: At Southern Mississippi on on Saturday.
Louisiana-Lafayette: Hosts Coastal Carolina on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Themus Fulks gains possession) | |||
19:42 | Themus Fulks misses two point layup | |||
19:40 | Michael Green III defensive rebound | |||
19:25 | +3 | Noah Freidel makes three point jump shot (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists) | 3-0 | |
18:59 | T.J. Bickerstaff shooting foul (Hosana Kitenge draws the foul) | |||
18:59 | +1 | Hosana Kitenge makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-1 | |
18:59 | +1 | Hosana Kitenge makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 3-2 | |
18:45 | Julien Wooden misses two point jump shot | |||
18:43 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
18:36 | +3 | Kobe Julien makes three point jump shot (Kentrell Garnett assists) | 3-5 | |
18:18 | Hosana Kitenge blocks Julien Wooden's two point layup | |||
18:16 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
18:11 | +2 | Kentrell Garnett makes two point layup | 3-7 | |
18:11 | Michael Green III shooting foul (Kentrell Garnett draws the foul) | |||
18:11 | Kentrell Garnett misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
18:11 | Julien Wooden defensive rebound | |||
18:00 | Michael Green III turnover (traveling) | |||
17:49 | +2 | Hosana Kitenge makes two point hook shot | 3-9 | |
17:26 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup | |||
17:24 | T.J. Bickerstaff offensive rebound | |||
17:21 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses two point layup | |||
17:18 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
17:17 | Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (Joe Charles steals) | |||
17:09 | Themus Fulks misses two point jump shot | |||
17:07 | Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound | |||
16:58 | Hosana Kitenge shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul) | |||
16:58 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:58 | +1 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-9 | |
16:44 | Themus Fulks turnover (out of bounds) | |||
16:29 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
16:27 | Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound | |||
16:26 | Jump ball. (Dukes gains possession) | |||
16:17 | Jaylen Carey offensive foul | |||
16:17 | Jaylen Carey turnover (offensive foul) | |||
16:02 | Kobe Julien misses two point layup | |||
16:00 | Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound | |||
15:54 | Jump ball. (Ragin' Cajuns gains possession) | |||
15:54 | Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (Kobe Julien steals) | |||
15:54 | TV timeout | |||
15:38 | Julien Wooden shooting foul (Hosana Kitenge draws the foul) | |||
15:38 | Hosana Kitenge misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:38 | +1 | Hosana Kitenge makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-10 | |
15:27 | Julien Wooden misses two point layup | |||
15:25 | Themus Fulks defensive rebound | |||
15:14 | +2 | Kobe Julien makes two point layup | 4-12 | |
14:59 | Xavier Brown misses three point jump shot | |||
14:59 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
14:51 | Joe Charles blocks T.J. Bickerstaff's two point layup | |||
14:49 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
14:40 | T.J. Bickerstaff turnover (lost ball) | |||
14:16 | Kobe Julien turnover (lost ball) | |||
13:58 | Raekwon Horton misses three point jump shot | |||
13:56 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
13:45 | Raekwon Horton misses two point jump shot | |||
13:43 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
13:40 | Joe Charles turnover (double dribble) | |||
13:33 | Themus Fulks shooting foul (Xavier Brown draws the foul) | |||
13:33 | +1 | Xavier Brown makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-12 | |
13:33 | Xavier Brown misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
13:33 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
13:19 | Hosana Kitenge misses two point hook shot | |||
13:17 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
13:01 | Joe Charles blocks Julien Wooden's two point layup | |||
12:58 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
12:55 | Raekwon Horton turnover (Kyran Ratliff steals) | |||
12:44 | Themus Fulks misses two point layup | |||
12:42 | Julien Wooden defensive rebound | |||
12:30 | Xavier Brown turnover | |||
12:27 | Themus Fulks turnover (bad pass) | |||
12:23 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point jump shot (Julien Wooden assists) | 7-12 | |
11:48 | Kyran Ratliff misses two point hook shot | |||
11:46 | Themus Fulks offensive rebound | |||
11:27 | Themus Fulks misses three point jump shot | |||
11:25 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
11:17 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses two point layup | |||
11:15 | Kobe Julien defensive rebound | |||
11:08 | Kobe Julien offensive foul | |||
11:08 | Kobe Julien turnover (offensive foul) | |||
11:08 | TV timeout | |||
10:54 | Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (traveling) | |||
10:43 | Joe Charles misses three point jump shot | |||
10:41 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
10:33 | +2 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Raekwon Horton assists) | 9-12 | |
10:06 | Kyran Ratliff misses two point jump shot | |||
10:04 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
9:58 | Julien Wooden misses three point jump shot | |||
9:56 | Raekwon Horton offensive rebound | |||
9:48 | Michael Green III misses two point jump shot | |||
9:46 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
9:32 | Michael Thomas turnover (Michael Green III steals) | |||
9:30 | Blake Butler shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul) | |||
9:30 | +1 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-12 | |
9:30 | +1 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-12 | |
9:10 | +2 | Michael Thomas makes two point layup (Blake Butler assists) | 11-14 | |
8:49 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses two point layup | |||
8:47 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
8:32 | +3 | Blake Butler makes three point jump shot (Michael Thomas assists) | 11-17 | |
8:17 | Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot | |||
8:15 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
7:54 | Ragin' Cajuns 30 second timeout | |||
7:54 | TV timeout | |||
7:47 | Michael Thomas misses two point jump shot | |||
7:45 | Blake Butler offensive rebound | |||
7:42 | Blake Butler misses three point jump shot | |||
7:40 | Jaylen Carey defensive rebound | |||
7:24 | +2 | Jaylen Carey makes two point layup (Michael Green III assists) | 13-17 | |
7:24 | Michael Thomas shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul) | |||
7:24 | Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
7:24 | Kobe Julien defensive rebound | |||
7:00 | Michael Green III personal foul | |||
6:55 | +2 | Hosana Kitenge makes two point layup | 13-19 | |
6:40 | +2 | Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot | 15-19 | |
6:16 | Themus Fulks misses two point layup | |||
6:14 | Jaylen Carey defensive rebound | |||
5:58 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
5:56 | Brandon Hardy defensive rebound | |||
5:27 | Brandon Hardy misses three point jump shot | |||
5:25 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
5:14 | Joe Charles blocks Xavier Brown's two point layup | |||
5:12 | Hosana Kitenge defensive rebound | |||
5:02 | Kobe Julien misses three point jump shot | |||
5:00 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
4:53 | +2 | Raekwon Horton makes two point layup | 17-19 | |
4:53 | Brandon Hardy shooting foul (Raekwon Horton draws the foul) | |||
4:53 | +1 | Raekwon Horton makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 18-19 | |
4:27 | +2 | Brandon Hardy makes two point layup | 18-21 | |
4:12 | Julien Wooden turnover | |||
3:50 | +2 | Hosana Kitenge makes two point layup | 18-23 | |
3:37 | Hosana Kitenge personal foul | |||
3:38 | TV timeout | |||
3:37 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
3:37 | Joe Charles defensive rebound | |||
3:14 | Themus Fulks misses two point layup | |||
3:12 | Julien Wooden defensive rebound | |||
2:57 | Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot | |||
2:55 | Dukes offensive rebound | |||
2:43 | Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup | |||
2:41 | T.J. Bickerstaff offensive rebound | |||
2:41 | Kyran Ratliff shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul) | |||
2:41 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
2:41 | T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
2:41 | Ragin' Cajuns defensive rebound | |||
2:25 | Kobe Julien misses two point jump shot | |||
2:23 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
2:11 | +3 | Noah Freidel makes three point jump shot (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists) | 21-23 | |
1:47 | Kobe Julien misses two point jump shot | |||
1:45 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
1:34 | Kyran Ratliff shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul) | |||
1:34 | +1 | T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 22-23 | |
1:34 | Julien Wooden turnover (lane violation) | |||
1:07 | Kentrell Garnett misses two point jump shot | |||
1:05 | T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound | |||
0:59 | Julien Wooden misses three point jump shot | |||
0:57 | T.J. Bickerstaff offensive rebound | |||
0:38 | Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (lost ball) | |||
0:15 | Themus Fulks misses two point layup | |||
0:13 | Raekwon Horton defensive rebound | |||
0:11 | Dukes 30 second timeout | |||
0:00 | End of period |