Victor Hart stars as Southern Miss beats No. 19 James Madison 81-71
AP
Jan 06, 2024
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) Victor Hart scored 16 points and Andre Curbelo had 15 points and nine assists, helping Southern Miss Golden Eagles beat No. 19 James Madison Dukes 81-71 on Saturday.
Austin Crowley had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles (8-7, 2-1 Sun Belt), who earned their second straight win. Cobie Montgomery scored 12 points on 4-for-4 shooting.
“I thought our preparation was good, our approach to the game was good,” Southern Miss coach Jay Ladner said. “They battled and played the way you’re supposed to play and played with great effort, intensity and teamwork. They did the things they have to do to beat a great team like James Madison.”
Southern Miss shot 49.1% from the field, compared to 39.4% for James Madison. The Golden Eagles also enjoyed a big advantage at the line, making 25 of 33 free throws while the Dukes connected on 13 of 19 foul shots.
Hart went 5 for 11 from the field and 5 for 6 at the line. He also had seven rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.
T.J. Bickerstaff had 14 points and 16 rebounds for James Madison (14-1, 2-1), which trailed 44-35 at halftime. Terrence Edwards Jr. scored 15 points, and Noah Freidel had 13.
The Dukes entered as the Sun Belt’s top scoring offense and second in 3-point shooting. They were held 20 points under their scoring average and went 2 for 17 from beyond the arc.
“I thought we competed hard,” James Madison coach Mark Byington said. “Look, this thing’s not easy. We missed some shots, we missed some plays. Our defense wasn’t sharp in the first half. ... We came in and played a team that’s talented. They had a great environment in here. It was very chaotic. ... I don’t think that got to us, but I think it energized them.”
James Madison was the first nationally ranked team to visit Southern Miss since then-No. 22 Central Florida in January 2011. The Golden Eagles also won that game, 86-69.
James Madison closed to 64-60 on Michael Green III’s layup with 6:14 left, but Southern Miss responded with a 9-0 run. Hart opened the spurt with a 3 and closed it out with two foul shots that made it 73-60 with 4:26 remaining.
“If you didn’t get your $10 worth, or however little bit of money we charge to get in, from that game then I don’t know what else to tell you,” Ladner said. “That was a heck of a game against a heck of an opponent.”
BIG PICTURE
James Madison: The Dukes had won seven consecutive true road games dating to last season. It was their first double-digit loss since falling 83-70 to the Golden Eagles in the same building a year ago.
Southern Miss: The Eagles had 17 fast-break points, compared to eight for James Madison.
UP NEXT
James Madison: Hosts South Alabama on Thursday night.
Southern Miss: Visits ULM on Thursday night.
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1st Half
JMU
Dukes
35
USM
Golden Eagles
44
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
T.J. Bickerstaff vs. Victor Iwuakor (Julien Wooden gains possession)
19:34
Victor Iwuakor shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul)
19:34
+1
T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 1 of 2
1-0
19:34
+1
T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-0
19:23
+2
Austin Crowley makes two point layup (Donovan Ivory assists)
2-2
18:58
Michael Green III misses three point jump shot
18:56
Austin Crowley defensive rebound
18:46
Victor Hart misses three point jump shot
18:44
T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
18:34
+2
T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)
4-2
18:11
Victor Hart misses three point jump shot
18:09
Golden Eagles offensive rebound
18:05
+2
Austin Crowley makes two point driving layup
4-4
17:48
Austin Crowley personal foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul)
17:34
Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot
17:32
Donovan Ivory defensive rebound
17:25
Andre Curbelo misses two point layup
17:23
T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
17:11
T.J. Bickerstaff misses two point jump shot
17:09
Noah Freidel offensive rebound
17:03
+2
Julien Wooden makes two point putback layup (Noah Freidel assists)
6-4
16:49
Andre Curbelo misses two point jump shot
16:47
T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
16:36
Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot
16:34
Austin Crowley defensive rebound
16:28
+2
Austin Crowley makes two point driving finger roll layup
6-6
16:07
Julien Wooden misses three point jump shot
16:05
Andre Curbelo defensive rebound
15:58
Julien Wooden shooting foul (Austin Crowley draws the foul)
15:58
TV timeout
15:58
+1
Austin Crowley makes regular free throw 1 of 3
6-7
15:58
+1
Austin Crowley makes regular free throw 2 of 3
6-8
15:58
+1
Austin Crowley makes regular free throw 3 of 3
6-9
15:36
Victor Iwuakor blocks Terrence Edwards Jr.'s two point jump shot
15:34
Donovan Ivory defensive rebound
15:25
Mo Arnold misses three point jump shot
15:23
Michael Green III defensive rebound
15:09
Julien Wooden misses two point jump shot
15:07
Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
15:00
+2
Julien Wooden makes two point layup (Jaylen Carey assists)
8-9
14:40
+2
Victor Hart makes two point layup
8-11
14:21
Michael Green III misses two point jump shot
14:19
Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
14:15
+2
Jaylen Carey makes two point putback dunk
10-11
13:51
Jaylen Carey shooting foul (Austin Crowley draws the foul)
13:51
+1
Austin Crowley makes regular free throw 1 of 2
10-12
13:51
+1
Austin Crowley makes regular free throw 2 of 2
10-13
13:30
Austin Crowley shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul)
13:30
+1
Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
11-13
13:30
+1
Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-13
13:14
+3
Mo Arnold makes three point jump shot (Andre Curbelo assists)
12-16
12:55
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup
12:53
Dukes offensive rebound
12:40
Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
12:38
Jaylen Carey offensive rebound
12:34
+2
Jaylen Carey makes two point putback layup
14-16
12:14
Donovan Ivory misses two point jump shot
12:12
Golden Eagles offensive rebound
12:12
Jaylen Carey personal foul
12:11
Raekwon Horton shooting foul (Cobie Montgomery draws the foul)