Photo: JMU Athletics
The fourth-seeded James Madison Dukes women's basketball delivered a dominant performance on Sunday (March 8), defeating top-seeded Georgia Southern Eagles women's basketball 81–53 in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals.
James Madison controlled the game from start to finish, especially on the boards. The Dukes overwhelmed Georgia Southern in rebounding, 45–16, while holding the Eagles to just 36.7% shooting from the field.
With the victory, JMU advances to the Sun Belt Championship game for the fourth straight season. The Dukes will face Troy Trojans women's basketball on Monday (March 9) for the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
Peyton McDaniel led the Dukes with 25 points, hitting half of her shots and adding five rebounds and three steals. It marked her fourth 25-point game of the season.
Ashanti Barnes recorded her 11th double-double of the year, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bree Robinson contributed 10 points, while Zakiya Stephenson added nine points and six assists.
For Georgia Southern, Kyla Bryant scored 17 points, while Destiny Garrett added 10 points. Sun Belt Player of the Year Kishyah Anderson was limited to 8 points as JMU’s defense kept the Eagles in check.
James Madison built an early advantage and extended it throughout the game. After leading 16–10 at the end of the first quarter, the Dukes surged ahead before halftime and continued pulling away in the second half with efficient shooting and strong defensive pressure.
The Dukes also dominated in several key categories, including points in the paint (48–24), second-chance points (25–0), and points off turnovers (19–4). Georgia Southern failed to grab a single offensive rebound in the game.
The win sends JMU to its fourth consecutive Sun Belt title game — the first time a team has reached four straight since Middle Tennessee’s run from 2003 to 2010. As a No. 4 seed, the Dukes are also the lowest-seeded team in the conference championship game since 2016.
SOURCE: JMU Athletics