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James Madison Edges Virginia, 82-80
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HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison edged Virginia, 82-80, in women’s basketball action Monday night at the JMU Convocation Center. JMU senior guard Dawn Evans scored 42 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to lead the Dukes to victory.
With the victory, James Madison improved to 6-5 on the season while Virginia’s record dropped to 7-5.
UVa was led by junior forward Chelsea Shine (Wayne, Pa.), who scored 19 points to lead five Cavaliers in double figures. Freshman Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) registered her first-career double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Virginia got off to a good start and held its largest lead of the first period, 33-21, after a jumper by Telia McCall at the 4:55 mark. James Madison rallied and went on an 11-1 run over the next three minutes to cut the score to 34-32 with 1:44 left in the first half. A 3-pointer by Moorer on the Cavaliers’ next possession extended the UVa lead to 37-32. That score held up until the halftime mark.
In the second half, Virginia led by as many as 13 points under the five-minute mark. With the score 78-68 in favor of Virginia at the 3:13 mark, James Madison put together a 10-0 run capped off by a lay-up by Evans to tie the score at 78 with 1:24 left in the game.
Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) made a free throw with 59 seconds left and Franklin hit another to give Virginia an 80-78 lead with 45 seconds left.
On the Dukes’ next possession, Evans hit a 3-pointer to give JMU the lead for good, 81-80.
After Jalissa Taylor’s free throw made the score 82-80 in favor of JMU, Shine’s attempt to tie the game missed with nine seconds left and a final attempt by Lexie Gerson (Fort Washington, Pa.) was no good to end the game.
Whitny Edwards (Charlotte, N.C.) finished 3-for-3 from the field for UVa and netted 10 points, while Moorer finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Gerson chipped in 12 points.
Evans finished 12-for-26 from the field and 6-for-12 from behind the 3-point line. Her 42 points were a career-high.
It was the second win in a row in the series for JMU.
Up next for Virginia is the Marriott Cavalier Classic, held at John Paul Jones Arena on Dec. 28 and 29. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, East Tennessee State and Holy Cross face off at 4:30 p.m., in the opening game of the tournament, followed by Virginia vs. North Carolina A&T at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the consolation game of the tournament will be played at 4:30 p.m., followed by the championship contest at 7 p.m.