Two Wins at 2K Sports Classic
November 24, 2009 • By Dan Lobdell, The Breeze
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Leaving Miami after a three game slate in the 2K Sports Classic, the JMU men’s basketball team was able to even its record and regain a measure of respect after getting blown out in its first two games of the year.
The Dukes (2-2) were led by sophomore forward Julius Wells, who overcame poor shooting in the first two games. Wells led all players with 23 points and a career-high 12 rebounds against Florida International University. He was previously shooting just 26 percent entering the game against FIU.
Senior guard Pierre Curtis also appeared to embrace his role as primary ballhandler and distributor against NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas’ FIU squad. Curtis finished with nine assists and also went 9-10 from the free throw line.
“Pierre closed the game out from the free throw line,” JMU coach Matt Brady said. “He closed the door on the game for us, which is what a good guard does.”
Madison led 35-30 at halftime, but allowed the Panthers to score the first six points of the second half. But a 14-0 run spanning three minutes gave JMU a lead it would never relinquish. Wells keyed the run with three of his six 3-pointers in the game.
Just as Brady said his team would do, the Dukes let fly a barrage of 3-pointers. Madison shot 13-24 from deep, by far the best shooting of the season.
Curtis also led the way in the 79-66 win over North Carolina Central. He stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Perhaps most incredibly, he did not moss a single shot, making both his 3-point attempts, all eight free throw attempts and a lone 2-point shot.
Freshman Darren White had his second consecutive 20-point game in the win. The guard from Danville shot 7-of-15 from deep in Madison’s two wins and also crashed the boards well, pulling down 14 rebounds in the victories.
“We’re definitely a work in progress,” Brady said. “We certainly played harder [against NCC]. And I also think that we are playing with more energy at the defensive end of the floor.”
In their first game of the Classic against Murry State, the Dukes were outgunned by nearly the identical score that they lost to Ohio State in the season-opener. JMU lost 71-43 to the racers.
The 28-point loss was the result of poor shooting and an inability to rebound. Madison shot just 28.1 percent and were outrebounded, 53-32.
“I was not surprised that Murray State could handle us as easily as they did,” Brady said. “Given where we are right now, starting two freshman, not having another ballhandler since we lost Devon [Moore] and knowing that Murray State had outstanding athletes in the frontcourt.”
Murray State senior Tony Easley outclassed JMU freshman forward Trevon Flores and finished with a career-high 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. Flores finished with no points in 27 minutes of play after missing all 10 of his shots.
Wells was the only Duke to make a 3-pointer, shooting 3-10 from beyond the arc. His teammates went a combined 0-13 from long range.
contact Dan Lobdell at breezesports@gmail.com
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