HARRISONBURG, Va. – Georgia Southern dominated the glass, out-rebounding James Madison 53-37 as it held on to edge the Dukes, 69-65, on Thursday night inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center. The Eagles pulled down 20 offensive rebounds which they turned into 24 second-chance points.

JMU now sits at 16-3 (6-1 SBC), sharing a 6-1 conference record with Southern Miss and Troy. Georgia Southern improved to 12-4 (4-3 SBC) and will wrap up its road trip with a matchup at ULM on Jan. 21.

Junior Peyton McDaniel paced all players with a season-high 26 points, highlighted by hitting 6-of-11 (54.5%) from beyond the arc. Classmate Jamia Hazell added 11 points, including four in the final quarter. Graduate student Caroline Germond was a factor on offense and defense with a stat line of six assists and a season-high five steals. Senior Kiki Jefferson and junior Claire Neff also recorded three assists in the loss.

How It Happened
• McDaniel was an early spark off the bench with eight points, including a pair of three-pointers, to give the Dukes a 20-19 edge after one.

• JMU had a cold second quarter, connecting on just 3-of-14 (21.4%) of its shots. The Eagles took advantage of this, building a 37-28 lead at the intermission.

• McDaniel’s shooting became a focal point of the Dukes’ offense as she drilled four threes in the third to cut the deficit to three, 55-52, with one quarter remaining.

• James Madison tied the game at 62 apiece with 2:43 remaining, then again at 65-all with 0:50 left on the clock. The Eagles responded with a tough jumper and knocked down two free throws down the stretch for the 69-65 win.

Game Notes
• The series is tied 2-2 between the two institutions. James Madison and Georgia Southern will face one another again on Feb. 4 in Statesboro, Ga.

• The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Dukes, the fourth-longest streak in the nation.

• JMU has not reached the 40-rebound plateau in back-to-back games for just the second time in 2022-23. Additionally, the team only tallied 21 defensive boards, the second-worst mark this season behind the 20 they had against Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 4.

• Georgia Southern’s 53 rebounds are the most the Dukes have allowed this season and the first time an opponent has recorded 50 or more against JMU since West Virginia wrangled in 53 last season on Dec. 12, 2021.

• James Madison shot 33.8% (23-of-68) from the floor, the second-lowest shooting clip this season. Earlier this season against Liberty, the Dukes went 19-for-61 (31.1%) in a 67-63 win on Nov. 23.

• McDaniel knocked down six three-pointers for the second time in her career. Moreover, the junior has connected on five or more shots from deep four times in 2022-23. She’s currently shooting 44.6% (41-of-92) from three-point land.

• JMU recorded its highest single-game steal total against the Eagles with 14, led by Germond’s five.

• James Madison is the only Sun Belt team to hold Georgia Southern below the 70-point threshold thus far.

Up Next
The Dukes will wrap up their four-game homestand with a battle against Troy on Saturday, Jan. 21. The opening tip is set for 4 p.m.

— JMU Athletics —