JMU PICKS UP FIRST WIN, TAKES DOWN FIU 81-68

box score

MIAMI, Fla. – Sophomore Julius Wells’ (Toledo, Ohio/Libbey) double-double led five players with double-figure scoring as James Madison took down Florida International 81-68 on Sunday evening in the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer at FIU’s U.S. Century Bank Arena.

JMU picked up its first win of the season to improve to 1-2. FIU fell to 2-4 on the season and suffered its first home loss to drop to 2-1 on its floor.

The Dukes trailed by one at 36-35 early in the second half when Wells led a 14-0 run to put JMU in front to stay. Wells hit three consecutive three-point field goals to close the run and give JMU a 13-point lead at 49-36. FIU got no closer than six the rest of the way as JMU went on to victory 81-68.

Wells posted 23 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to lead the JMU charge with his fourth career double-double. He connected on six of his 10 three-point attempts to match his career high for three-point field goals.

Wells was the key to a JMU long-range shooting effort that produced 13 three-pointers on 24 attempts (54.2%). The Dukes hit 7-of-12 treys in the opening half and added six on 12 tries in the second stanza. The Dukes shot 52.8% (28-53) overall from the floor while holding FIU to 37.5% shooting (24-64), including hitting only six of 27 three-pointers.

Freshman Darren White (Danville, Va./Dan River) had the best outing of his young career with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field, connecting on four of his seven three-point opportunities.

Senior Matt Parker (Charlotte, N.C./Statesville Christian) had a career night, setting personal highs for points (13), rebounds (5), and field goals (5) while connecting on three of four tries from the arch in 21 minutes.

Fellow senior Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) added nine assists and 11 points while hitting 9-of-10 free-throw attempts, mostly in the final minutes of play as JMU held on to a double-figure lead. Junior Ben Louis (Melbourne, Australia/St. Francis Xavier) added 10 points, six boards, and three assists.

FIU also placed five in double figures, led by Phil Gary, Jr. with 16 points and four steals. Stephon Weaver added 15 points. J.C. Otero posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. Marvin Roberts and Marlon Bright had 13 and 11 points, respectively, while each had seven boards. The five players accounted for 66 of the team’s 68 points.

JMU built a five-point lead at the half, thanks in large part to three-point shooting of Wells, White, and Parker as well as a 20-12 advantage in rebounding for the Dukes. Wells had 11 points in the opening half while White added 10.

FIU scored the first three buckets of the second half to take its final lead at 36-35. The Dukes responded with the key 14-0 run. The charge began with a Curtis drive for a layup and a Parker trey and was capped by three consecutive three-pointers by Wells.

The Golden Panthers were as close as seven at 64-57 with 6:43 remaining, but layups by Louis and Parker extended the lead back to double figures at 68-57 with 5:43 left. JMU did not hit a field goal in the final five minutes, but Curtis hit all eight of his free-throw attempts in the final two and a half minutes as JMU maintained the 10-point advantage en route to an 81-68 win.

JMU’s 81 points in the contest nearly matched the two-game total of 87 from the opening losses. The Dukes passed the previous season-high of 44 points on a Wells three with 14:55 left as part of the 14-0 run.

Curtis made his 95th career start at JMU, tying Pat Dosh (1974-78) for eighth for career starts. His 36 minutes played vaulted him from 15th to 12th in career minutes with 3,124, passing Dan Ruland (1979-83), Linton Townes (1978-82), and Chris Williams (2000-04). His 10 attempts at the charity stripe gave him 400 free-throw attempts in his career, becoming the seventh player in school history to attempt 400.

JMU will conclude competition in the 2K Sports Classic at FIU on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. against North Carolina Central.