James Madison defeats Arkansas St 74-78
James Madison Edges Arkansas State in Thrilling Conference Showdown
In a back-and-forth affair that had fans on the edge of their seats, visiting James Madison edged host Arkansas State 78-74 on Saturday night at First National Bank Arena.
The game's ebb and flow was characteristic of a closely contested conference matchup. The Red Wolves came out hot in the first half, building a 10-point lead midway through the period. However, the Dukes, led by Cliff Davis' 24 points, responded with a 9-0 run to take a slim 39-34 advantage at halftime.
Despite trailing, James Madison's offense continued to fire on all cylinders in the second half, as they outscored Arkansas State 39-40 to seal the win. Justin McBride, who chipped in 21 points and seven rebounds, was instrumental in the Dukes' resurgence.
Meanwhile, Matt Hayman paced the Red Wolves with 23 points, including five three-pointers, while Jalen Hampton hauled down 13 boards and Chandler Jackson dished out six assists.
The game's largest lead changed hands multiple times, with Arkansas State holding a 10-point advantage early in the second half only to see James Madison retake the lead. In the end, it was Davis who delivered the decisive blow, hitting a clutch three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining to put his team up by four.
The final margin of four points was a testament to the intensity and competitiveness of both teams. When asked about the game's outcome, Davis said, "We knew it was going to be a tough one coming in, but we just stuck together as a team and played our hearts out."
For James Madison, the win marked their first true road victory this season, while Arkansas State fell to 0-2 on the year.
Game Stats
Arkansas St (HOME)
* Field Goals: 25/70 (36.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 17/38 (44.7%)
* 3-Point FG: 8/32 (25.0%)
* Free Throws: 16/27 (59.0%)
* Rebounds: 42
* Assists: 12
* Turnovers: 8
* Steals: 9
* Blocks: 2
* Total Fouls: 18
James Madison (AWAY)
* Field Goals: 27/51 (53.0%)
* 2-Point FG: 19/34 (55.9%)
* 3-Point FG: 8/17 (47.0%)
* Free Throws: 16/26 (62.0%)
* Rebounds: 38
* Assists: 11
* Turnovers: 15
* Steals: 5
* Blocks: 5
* Total Fouls: 23
Game Leaders
* Arkansas St:
+ Matt Hayman - 23 points, 5-8 3PT, 53.3% FG
+ Jalen Hampton - 13 reb, 5 pts, 2 ast
+ Chandler Jackson - 6 ast, 19 pts, 1 reb, 2 stl
* James Madison:
+ Cliff Davis - 24 points, 5-7 3PT, 58.3% FG
+ Justin McBride - 21 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast