03/09/26 03:19:00
Printable Page
03/09 15:15 CDT James Madison women beat Troy 69-52 for 2nd Sun Belt Tournament
title since joining league in 2022
James Madison women beat Troy 69-52 for 2nd Sun Belt Tournament title since
joining league in 2022
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) --- Peyton McDaniel scored 28 points and grabbed 10
rebounds, Ashanti Barnes also had a double-double with 19 points and 12 boards,
and No. 4 seed James Madison beat second-seeded Troy 69-52 on Monday to claim
its second Sun Belt Tournament championship since joining the league in 2022.
James Madison (26-8) was appearing in its fourth consecutive Sun Belt title
game, the first program to do so since Middle Tennessee went to eight straight
from 2003-10. McDaniel scored 30 points the last time JMU won the title in 2023.
Four different James Madison starters scored during a game-opening 13-0 run
that included six straight made field goals. Troy missed its first 11 shots.
James Madison opened the third quarter on a 14-4 run to take a double-digit
lead for good at 48-34. The Dukes added an 8-0 run to begin to the fourth to
pull away.
McDaniel, who was named the Sun Belt most outstanding player, finished 11 of 23
from the field, including 5 of 12 from behind the arc. She also had 10 rebounds
and four assists for JMU, which became the first four-seed to capture the Sun
Belt championship since Troy did so in the 2015-16 season.
Fortuna Ngnawo led Troy (25-7) with 18 points and 12 rebounds before leaving
the game late in the fourth with an injury. Emani Jenkins made Troy's first
3-pointer of the game --- in nine attempts --- with 5:27 left in the fourth.
The Trojans were seeking a fourth Sun Belt title (2021, 2017, 2016).
Up next
James Madison, which has won 12 straight games, will make the program's 14th
appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up
here. AP women's college basketball:
https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and
https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
|
