HARRISONBURG — When James Madison went to the locker room at halftime clinging to a one-point lead, the Dukes likely didn’t know they were preparing for arguably their most important half of basketball this season.
A later than normal 8 p.m. start meant the results from the rest of the Colonial Athletic Association were in before the second half began for JMU’s 68-61 victory against Delaware.
Stuckey Mosley scored a game-high 25 points and a second-straight victory moved the Dukes (12-15, 5-9 CAA) into seventh place in the CAA, just a game out of fifth. A loss would have sent JMU, which opened the week alone in the cellar, back into a last-place tie with Elon, but instead Madison looked like a young team that may have finally turned a corner.
“I didn’t even know the standings,” JMU sophomore Matt Lewis, who finished with 10 points, said. “I mean, I knew we were in last place, but this league is so up and down. We’re not focusing on it or looking at seeding everyday, but it’s good if we could get that bye game with all the minutes guys are playing right now.”
The intensity in the Convocation Center, which hosted a season-high 3,233 fans, matched the moment as the Dukes suddenly found themselves in position to start thinking about avoiding the opening day of the CAA Tournament as one of the top six seeds.
Despite seeing yet another double-digit lead evaporate, with Delaware (16-12, 8-7) rallying from a 14-point first-half deficit to take a second half lead, the Dukes responded and matched the Delaware blow for blow before Mosley exploded, scoring 10 straight at one point, to give JMU a lead it this time wouldn’t give up.
“The last six minutes I just said, ‘guys, it’s time to build on some of this stuff and do the things it takes to win a ballgame,” Dukes coach Louis Rowe said. “I thought that last six minutes was a pretty good six minutes.”
Dwight Wilson picked up where he left off two nights earlier for the Dukes and scored three quick buckets while limiting what Delaware’s Eric Carter was able to do on the offensive end for the Blue Hens. Wilson finished with 14 points and 12 rebound, his second straight double-double, and held Carter, one of the league’s top big men to just nine points, more than seven below his average.
“We had a hard time handling Wilson, man or zone,” Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby said. “He’s a big physical body. They do a great job running some of their sets and entries to get him low-post touches. Early, we tried to double him, but he was pretty effective against that. He’s a good young player that keeps getting better.”
Combined with some early hot shooting from the outside by Deshon Parker, who finished with nine points, and Mosley, JMU had built a double-digit lead midway through the first half. But foul problems helped Delaware climb out of the hole.
The Blue Hens were in the one-and-one barely eight minutes into the game and the double-bonus about to minutes later, while JMU saw Greg Jones, Zach Jacobs and Darius Banks head to the bench for much of the first half in foul trouble. Delaware went 10 for 16 from the foul line in the first half, and by the time Ithiel Horton knocked down one of two, the Blue Hens had tied the game 29-all with two minutes left.
But while the Dukes had folded in similar situations multiple times earlier in the season, this week saw JMU regroup and hang on twice in the span of three days.
“All the little things,” Rowe said. “We made free throws. We didn’t turn it over. They were great. “
Up next is the toughest road trip of the CAA slate, a Thursday-Saturday swing to Northeastern and Hofstra, but the Dukes then close out the regular season at home against Elon and William & Mary, a pair of teams JMU gave up double-digit leads to on the road the opening week of conference play.
“They’ve got some really good young talent,” Inglesby said. “I like their team. Mosley kinda carried them tonight and when he’s scoring it, Lewis is making some shots...they’ve got some really good young talent and can win some games. Absolutely.”
