College of Charleston
19-7, 9-4
James Madison
15-9, 7-6
James Madison Gets Past Cougars, 56-52
2/12/2016 5:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – With the Colonial Athletic Association regular season winding down, James Madison moved into a tie for second place in the latest league standings with a 56-52 road victory at College of Charleston on Thursday night at TD Arena.
Joey McLean registered six points in the final 30 seconds to lead the Dukes (19-7, 9-4 CAA) past the Cougars (15-9, 7-6 CAA). JMU's leading scorer Ron Curry ended the night with a game-high 16 points.
The Dukes led 25-23 at halftime, but freshman Marquise Pointer (Jonesboro, Ark.) knocked down a three-pointer as CofC went on a 7-0 run and took its first lead of the ballgame, 30-25.
The Cougars extended their lead out to 40-31 on a jumper by freshman Jarrell Brantley (Columbia, S.C.) with 13:11 remaining in regulation.
James Madison, however, would go on a 15-4 run to close out the game sparked by a Curry three-pointer.
Pointer led the Cougars with a team-high 15 points, while Brantley and sophomore Evan Bailey (Canton, Ohio) added 10 each.
CofC will travel next to Elon (14-12, 5-8 CAA) for a Saturday, Feb. 13 conference tilt at 7 p.m. (ET) in Elon, N.C.
For more information on College of Charleston Basketball, follow the Cougars on Twitter at @CofCBasketball.
POSTGAME NOTES
· College of Charleston used the starting lineup of freshman Marquise Pointer, sophomore Cameron Johnson, junior Payton Hulsey, freshman Jarrell Brantley and redshirt freshman Nick Harris (6-5).
· James Madison avoided the regular-season sweep and split the series this season with College of Charleston. The Dukes avenged a home-court loss to the Cougars on Dec. 31 in Harrisonburg and now take a 4-3 lead in the all-time series.
· Marquise Pointer poured in a team-high 15 points against James Madison and has reached double figures in five of the team's last six contests in CAA play.
· Jarrell Brantley registered 10 points and a game-high tying seven rebounds versus James Madison. It marked his 15th double-digit game of the
· Sophomore Evan Bailey came off the bench and contributed 10 points with two three-pointers against James Madison. He has now reached double figures in seven games of the season.
· Payton Hulsey grabbed a game-high tying seven rebounds as well as dished out a game-high five assists with just two turnovers. He is 15 assists away from turning in a 100+ assist season.
· The Cougars held James Madison to a season-low 56 points – its lowest output since a 68-62 loss at William & Mary on Jan. 31.
· CofC Athletics unveiled the #ChadEffect Community Service Award in remembrance of former CofC men's basketball walk-on Chad Cooke, who passed away on Dec. 23, 2014. The award will be given annually to the varsity team who accumulates the most community service points at the end of the year as part of the Cougar Cup.
POSTGAME QUOTES
College of Charleston Head Coach Earl Grant
On the game …
“I thought our effort was good and we are able to hold them to 56 points. In the last three minutes of the game, we didn't get the stops that we needed. They made three big baskets late. A couple of drives, deep in the defense, they scored twice and they made a big three. They had seven points in the last two minutes and we couldn't get the big stop. We had too many missed opportunities with layups. We usually make them around the rim. We had way too many turnovers in the first half, which kind of doomed us, especially in a four-point game.”
On James Madison's physicality in the first half …
“In the first half, James Madison was really physical in the first 10 minutes. They were swarming, getting the offensive rebounds and posting the ball a lot. We picked up our physicality after the first 10 minutes. Give James Madison credit. They made the big plays and we didn't tonight. Overall, I'm proud of our effort. We will put this one behind us quickly, because we have to move on (to Elon).”
College of Charleston Freshman Guard Marquise Pointer
On the difference at the end of the game …
“It wasn't on the offensive end. It was late in the game in the last few minutes where we didn't get stops. You have to give them (James Madison) credit. They hit some big shots. They made a couple in the paint and a big three. We didn't get stops and that's what happened.”
On winning and losing close games …
“I believe it makes us tougher mentally. We learn from it every time – wins and losses. The more we have, the better we get at it (winning close games). It's not a bad thing that we are always in close games. We just have to learn from it and learn to finish.”
James Madison Head Coach Matt Brady
On the game …
“We are obviously thrilled to get a road win against a quality basketball team. They are so good defensively. They make everything you do on offense hard to execute. While it's a young team, they are a really good team. We were fortunate they missed some shots they made in our building (last month). I am glad our team dug down and how they overcame a deficit. There is little separation in this league and this was an important game for us.”
