HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – In a pre-game video shown on the jumbotron, new James Madison men’s basketball head coach Preston Spradlin exhorted fans to get loud when the Dukes’ defense strings together stops this season.

Spradlin said the program is calling three straight stops, “a KO.”

And a knockout is exactly what JMU delivered during a first-half run that put it up by double digits and sent it to a rousing 88-78 victory over Ohio in Spradlin’s debut.

“It was what got us going,” said Xavier Brown of the defense that recorded six KOs in the first half alone.

JMU won its season opener for the eighth straight year, this time downing the preseason favorites in the Mid-American Conference.

Brown, the only returning Duke to log at least five minutes per game last season, led the way by scoring a career-high 23 points and grabbing six rebounds.

Brown’s backcourt mate, Mark Freeman – a transfer from Morehead State, where he played for Spradlin – had 16 points and four assists.

“We put in so much work in the summer, so many hours,” Freeman said. “We were prepared for this. We were prepared to go out there and perform great in front of some great fans. The summer prepared us very well. Coach P laid out the blueprint from day one and we just bought in.”

Center Elijah Hutchins-Everett, a Seton Hall transfer, scored 13 points to go with eight rebounds and two blocks.

JMU used its size in the paint, dominating the glass, 41-23, and leading in second-chance points, 21-2.

“Both teams run a fast-paced offense,” Hutchins-Everett said. “Both love to shoot 3s, so you’re going to have long rebounds going out. We took advantage of rebounding. Having more energy than them and hunger, and that’s what we came out with.”

JMU also showed off its impressive depth, with seven players scoring at least five points.

And it shot the ball well.

The Dukes sank 10 shots from 3-point range, with six players connecting from beyond the arc.

Students began gathering outside the arena an hour and half before gametime for Spradlin’s Dukes coaching debut, packing the student section. In all, 5,973 fans filled in at the Atlantic Union Bank Center, the ninth largest crowd in the venue’s history.

Spradlin said he specifically noticed the crowd at a point early in the game when his team sank a 3 after an offensive board.

“It caught me and the staff off guard,” Spradlin said. “The place just exploded. I turned around and looked at my staff. We were just like, ‘Wow. That’s what this place is.'”

And the action inside did not disappoint, as JMU made good on their coach’s desire to play suffocating defense and efficient but electric offense.

The Dukes played an impressive and dominant first half, shooting 51.6% from the floor, controlling the glass 24-13 and completely smothering Ohio’s offense. The Bobcats shot 35.5%, went 2 for 9 from 3-point range and, over one stretch, missed 12 of 13 shots.

JMU used a 13-0 run, one that started with five points from Brown and included three made 3-pointers, to open up a 17-8 lead just 7:05 into the contest.

It led by as many as 20 in the first half, going up 39-19 with 1:37 before the intermission when Eddie Ricks sliced backdoor, took a feed and slammed home a dunk.

The Dukes went to the locker room up 41-26, with eight players scoring in the first half.

Ohio opened the second half with a 22-13 surge that cut JMU’s advantage to 54-48. After struggling to hit shots in the opening 20 minutes, the Bobcats found their stroke in the final 20, shooting 67.9% after the break.

Aidan Hadaway led four Ohio players in double figures, scoring 17.

But the Dukes responded with a 10-3 spurt that returned control of the game to their side.

Ohio pulled to within 83-76 with 1:10 left, adding a measure of drama to Spradlin’s first game.

But Bryce Lindsay’s tough, floating jumper just ahead of the shot clock put JMU up 85-76 and sent it on to the win.

“When teams go on runs, if you’re not a great team, it will break you apart,” Spradlin said. “If you are a great team, it’ll bring you closer together.”

The Dukes return to action Saturday, Nov. 9 at Norfolk State.

GAME NOTES
• JMU improved to 3-0 in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
• Monday marked win #1 for Preston Spradlin as head coach of the Dukes.
• Both teams shot over 50% for the game, with JMU going 54.4% (31/57) from the floor and Ohio finishing at 50.8% (30/59).
• JMU also held a 23-9 edge in bench points.
• Nine different Dukes scored, including four in double figures.

— JMU Athletics —