HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Xavier Brown matched a career-high with 17 points off the bench to lead six Dukes in double figures as No. 20 James Madison defeated Hampton 88-71 on Saturday.
Freshman Jaylen Carey added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Dukes (10-0). Michael Green III scored 16 points and had eight assists.
Jerry Deng scored 18 for Hampton (4-6) and Kyrese Mullen added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
After trailing by 10 at one point, James Madison chipped away at the lead and then used a 13-2 run in the second half to pull away.
“I thought Hampton was ready to play,” JMU coach Mark Byington said. “I want to give them credit. They have talent and they are putting it together with transfers and this and that. They are just getting healthy and getting guys back. We were ready for them and our coaches knew those guys could play. We were lethargic in the first half and had some things that go against you when you’re not playing hard.”
Deng, who scored 37 last time out against Division III Mary Baldwin, came off the bench midway through the first half and scored seven quick points to give the Pirates a 22-18 lead.
As the half continued, James Madison went ice cold from 3-point range while the Pirates got to the free-throw line and built an eight-point advantage 13 minutes in. With reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week TJ Bickerstaff in early foul trouble, the Dukes got quality minutes off the bench from Carey and cut the lead to 42-41 at halftime.
“I thought like the first half we came out and executed well and were able to stop a few things,” Hampton coach Edward Joyner said. “I think the biggest part of the first half was we didn’t turn the ball over. Second half, we had a stretch where we had four or five turnovers and those turnovers turned into three or four 3’s.”
JMU forced 11 second half turnovers and finished 12 for 32 from 3-point range. Green and Brown combined to go 7 for 13 from beyond the arc with Brown scoring eight quick points midway through the second half as JMU eventually pushed the lead to 25 points.
RARE OPPORTUNITY
Saturday’s contest was the first time the Pirates had hosted a ranked team since Nov. 23, 1998, when then-No. 9 North Carolina visited the Convocation Center and won 86-75. Hampton had not faced a ranked opponent since the 2017-18 season when the Pirates traveled to then No. 13 Virginia. Hampton’s most recent victory against a ranked team came in the 2001-02 season opener, when the Pirates won at No. 19 North Carolina, 77-69.
THE BIG PICTURE
James Madison improved to 10-0 for the first time in program history. The Dukes have played three in-state opponents so far, defeating Radford, Old Dominion and now Hampton.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Dukes hope their victory will keep them ranked. James Madison’s season-opening victory against then-No. 4 Michigan State has lost some luster as the Spartans have struggled to begin the season. James Madison fell two spots to No. 20 following a victory at Old Dominion a week ago.
UP NEXT
Hampton: Travels to Bowling Green on Tuesday.
James Madison: Hosts Coppin State on Tuesday.
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