HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison held off Georgia Southern in a tightly contested 78-73 victory on Saturday night, powered by a standout performance from Bryce Lindsay. The Dukes, now 19-10 overall and 12-4 in the Sun Belt Conference, relied on key contributions from multiple players to secure the win.
Lindsay Leads the Charge
Bryce Lindsay was the difference-maker, leading James Madison with 18 points on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting night. While his three-point shooting was streaky at 2-for-6, his ability to get inside and hit key buckets helped the Dukes maintain control.
Elijah Hutchins-Everett also played a crucial role, contributing 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting while capitalizing at the free-throw line with a 6-for-8 effort. He also pulled down seven rebounds, giving James Madison a presence in the paint. Mark Freeman added 13 points despite a rough shooting night, going just 4-for-16 from the field, but his six rebounds and clutch free throws down the stretch helped seal the win.
Georgia Southern Fought to the Finish
Georgia Southern didn’t go down without a fight. Nakavieon White matched Lindsay with 18 points and added seven rebounds, keeping the Eagles within striking distance throughout the game.
Bradley Douglas also had 18 points, shooting efficiently while grabbing six boards. Adante’ Holiman contributed 15 points, but the Eagles couldn’t generate enough offense late to overtake James Madison.
A Back-and-Forth Battle
The game remained close from start to finish, with neither team able to establish dominance. James Madison’s defense tightened up in the closing minutes, forcing tough shots and securing key rebounds to keep the Eagles from making a final push.
A look at some key stats from the game:
| Team | FG% | 3PT% | FT% | Rebounds | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Madison | 45.6 | 31.3 | 75.0 | 34 | 11 |
| Georgia Southern | 44.2 | 30.8 | 71.4 | 32 | 12 |
The slight edge in shooting percentage and rebounding gave James Madison just enough to stay ahead. Free throw shooting was also a difference-maker, with the Dukes converting at a 75% clip compared to 71.4% for the Eagles.
Looking Ahead
With this win, James Madison continues its push toward postseason play. The Dukes have now won 12 games in conference play, positioning themselves well for the Sun Belt Tournament.
Georgia Southern, now 14-15 overall and 6-10 in conference play, will need to regroup quickly as they try to finish the season strong and improve their standing before tournament time.
