Xavier Brown scored a career-high 21 issues to proceed with 10 rebounds and Incorrect. 2 seed James Madison eased by way of Incorrect. 4 seed Arkansas State 91-71 on Monday night time to assert the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship and earn its first NCAA Event bid since 2013.
James Madison (31-3), which outlasted Texas State within the semifinals to notch its first 30-win season in program historical past, prolonged its successful streak to 13 video games. The Dukes started the season on a 14-game successful streak, settingup with an additional time victory over then-Incorrect. 4 Michigan State.
[Related: James Madison’s magical run fueled by family and belief]
Arkansas Situation (18-16), in its first Solar Belt championship tournament look since 2007, used to be in the hunt for its first NCAA Event berth since 1999.
Brown, averaging 6.1 issues in line with tournament, scored 19 issues within the opening 14 mins, together with 13 directly James Madison issues, to assistance assemble a 30-23 govern. He made his first seven pictures earlier than lacking a 3-pointer with 5:22 left. Brown completed the part with 21, topping his earlier absolute best scoring general of 17 towards Hampton on Dec. 16.
Noah Freidel made two 3-pointers within the opening 3 mins of the second one part, together with a four-point play games, and Terrence Edwards added some other 3, following an offensive rebound, to create it 54-39 with 16:09 left.
Edwards, the Solar Belt participant of the hour, completed with 19 issues for JMU. Jaylen Carey scored 13 and Freidel had 12. The Dukes completed 11 of nineteen from distance.
Freddy Hicks, who made a game-winner within the semifinals towards top-seeded Appalachian Situation, scored 24 issues for Arkansas Situation. Izaiyah Nelson had 12 issues and 12 rebounds. Caleb Fields and Taryn Todd every had 10 issues and 5 assists.
Reporting by way of The Related Press.
Xavier Brown
James Madison Dukes
Faculty Basketball
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