Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
James Madison
James Madison Tops Men's Basketball, 80-73
12/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. - JMU forward Denzel Bowles scored a season-high 34 points as James Madison topped the Marshall University men's basketball team, 80-73, Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
"I'm proud of our effort, we did not give up, but it was not enough," head coach Tom Herrion said. "Our players showed a lot of character."
"Our defense was poor in the first half. When you go on the road and get outrebounded by 14, you get what you deserve. We did not get the job done defensively or on the glass."
Bowles hit 13-of-21 shots for the Dukes (9-3) and grabbed a game-high 13 boards. Andrey Semenov scored 12 points to go along with 10 boards.
DeAndre Kane was the leading scorer for the Herd (8-3). He scored 19 points, setting a career-high with an 11-14 showing from the free throw line.
Marshall took control early, leading by as many as five points, 12-7, with 14:37 left in the half. Dago Pena had the hot hand, hitting a pair of early threes on his way to a team-high nine points in the half.
With 7:42 left in the half and the Herd holding on to a 22-17 lead, the Dukes embarked on a 20-8 run to finish off the half. Denzel Bowles scored ten of his 17 first-half points in the spurt. The Dukes held MU to just a pair of field goals over the remainder of the period as the Herd hit just 2-of-8 shots to wrap up the half as James Madison took a 37-30 lead into halftime.
The Dukes picked up right where they left off early in the second half, quickly extending their lead to 12, 46-34. Bowles scored the first five points of the half for JMU. The Herd made a slight run to cut the deficit to seven before a three by Andrey Semenov made it a 51-41 game.
Midway through the half, JMU would take its top lead of 15 points before Johnny Thomas scored five-straight to cut into the deficit. The lead would once again reach 15 two more times before the Herd make a run in the final minute.
JMU hit 1-of-2 free throws on three-straight trips while Damier Pitts hit a pair of threes for MU to make it a 74-67 contest entering the final minute, but it was too little too late as JMU hit late free throws en route to the 80-73 win.
After outrebounding VMI on Sunday by 25, the Herd found itself on the wrong end against JMU as the Dukes finished with the 44-30 edge on the boards. JMU also shot 46.9% from the floor while holding the Herd to 35.6%.
Johnny Thomas tied his career mark with 16 points, 12 coming in the second half. Damier Pitts also had a strong second half, scoring 11 of his 13 points in the latter period.
Following a break for Christmas, the Herd will return to the hardwood on Tuesday, December 28, to face Binghamton. Tip is set for 7 p.m. and will be played as part of a doubleheader with the women's team, who will face off against Morehead State at 4 p.m.
