HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison men’s basketball shot 13-of-26 (.500) from behind the arc and held Utah Valley to a season-low 33.3 percent from the floor to take a commanding 78-61 win over the Wolverines on Saturday afternoon at the Atlantic Union Bank Center.

Bryce Lindsay scored 18 points to lead JMU (6-4) offensively, who improved to 6-0 when scoring over 70 points as a team this season. The Dukes shot 50 percent from the floor, tying their season-best, and 13-of-24 in the second half.

Xavier Brown added 12 points and a career-high-tying seven assists, while Ebenezer Dowuona picked up a season-high three blocks while corralling three rebounds and scoring five points. Elijah Hutchins-Everett and AJ Smith chipped in with 10 points each.

The Dukes held Utah Valley to a season-low 61 points, including just 28 in the first half. Osiris Grady led all Wolverines with 12 points while Tanner Toolson scored 10 points and collected five rebounds.

How It Happened
First Half: James Madison 44, Utah Valley 28
• Utah Valley started 4-of-5 from the floor to jump out to an early 10-3 advantage at the 17:01 mark of the first.
• The Dukes jumped back ahead with 10 unanswered points to get in front 13-10 with 14:15 to go in the half.
• JMU took advantage of a nearly ten-minute period without a field goal for Utah Valley to take a 28-15 lead, capped by a triple from Eddie Ricks III triple at the 7:50 mark of the first half.
• The Dukes went into the break up 44-28, as they held the Wolverines to 7-of-27 (.259) shooting in the half and shot 14-of-30 themselves.
Second Half: James Madison 34, Utah Valley 33
• JMU maintained distance to open the half as the two squads traded baskets to open the second half. The Dukes led 50-36 with 16 minutes to play.
• UVU used a 10-2 run to cut into the deficit, but JMU still led 61-50 with 8:23 to go.
• After cutting it to 11 again with 6:36 left, JMU went on a 10-1 run, sparked by a Lindsay triple to make it 73-53 with just over three minutes remaining.
• The Dukes would lead by as much as 23 and not let the Wolverines get any closer than 17 the rest of the way to take the home victory.
Game Notes
• JMU improved to 1-0 against Utah Valley and 3-2 against current WAC opponents.
• JMU led for 36 minutes and has now led for 76 of 80 possible minutes in the past two games.
• The Dukes finished with 36 bench points, led by Lindsay’s 18. Luke Anderson also tied a season-high seven points off the bench.
• Xavier Brown finished with seven assists, which tied his career high. He also had seven assists against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 1, 2024.
• JMU is now 6-0 when scoring 70 points or more this season.
• Bryce Lindsay made at least four three-pointers (4-9) for the fifth time this season. In 10 games, he is shooting 47.7 percent from behind the arc.
• Justin Taylor finished with a season-high three assists.
• JMU is now 6-2 when leading at the half this season.
• The Dukes recorded their fourth run of 10-0 or longer this season, taking a 10-3 deficit to a 13-10 lead in 2:29 of game time (17:01-14:32)

Up Next
The Dukes will return from a 10-day break for finals to take on Atlantic Coast Conference foe Wake Forest on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. in Winston-Salem, N.C.

— JMU Athletics —