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James Madison claims Sun Belt title to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2013

AP
Mar 11, 2024

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) Xavier Brown scored a career-high 21 points to go with 10 rebounds and No. 2 seed James Madison eased by No. 4 seed Arkansas State 91-71 on Monday night to claim the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship and earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2013.

James Madison (31-3), which outlasted Texas State in the semifinals to notch its first 30-win season in program history, extended its winning streak to 13 games. The Dukes began the season on a 14-game winning streak, starting with an overtime victory over then-No. 4 Michigan State.

Arkansas State (18-16), in its first Sun Belt championship game appearance since 2007, was seeking its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1999.

Brown, averaging 6.1 points per game, scored 19 points in the opening 14 minutes, including 13 straight James Madison points, to help build a 30-23 lead. He made his first seven shots before missing a 3-pointer with 5:22 left. Brown finished the half with 21, topping his previous best scoring total of 17 against Hampton on Dec. 16.

Noah Freidel made two 3-pointers in the opening three minutes of the second half, including a four-point play, and Terrence Edwards added another 3, following an offensive rebound, to make it 54-39 with 16:09 left.

Edwards, the Sun Belt player of the year, finished with 19 points for JMU. Jaylen Carey scored 13 and Freidel had 12. The Dukes finished 11 of 19 from distance.

Freddy Hicks, who made a game-winner in the semifinals against top-seeded Appalachian State, scored 24 points for Arkansas State. Izaiyah Nelson had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Caleb Fields and Taryn Todd each had 10 points and five assists.

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1st Half
ARST
Red Wolves
32
JMU
Dukes
42

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Red Wolves gains possession)
19:28		Red Wolves turnover (shot clock violation)
19:20		Freddy Hicks personal foul
19:09		Izaiyah Nelson blocks Terrence Edwards Jr.'s two point jump shot
19:07		Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound
19:03		Izaiyah Nelson blocks Terrence Edwards Jr.'s two point jump shot
19:01		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
18:44	+3	Derrian Ford makes three point jump shot (Freddy Hicks assists)	3-0
18:14	+3	Julien Wooden makes three point jump shot (Xavier Brown assists)	3-3
17:51		Taryn Todd misses two point jump shot
17:49		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
17:45		Caleb Fields misses three point jump shot
17:43		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
17:38	+3	Xavier Brown makes three point jump shot	3-6
17:10		Derrian Ford misses two point jump shot
17:08		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
17:05		Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot
17:03		Taryn Todd defensive rebound
16:56		Julien Wooden blocks Taryn Todd's two point jump shot
16:54		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
16:53		Izaiyah Nelson misses two point layup
16:52		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
16:52		T.J. Bickerstaff shooting foul (Izaiyah Nelson draws the foul)
16:52	+1	Izaiyah Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-6
16:52	+1	Izaiyah Nelson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-6
16:40		Izaiyah Nelson shooting foul (T.J. Bickerstaff draws the foul)
16:40	+1	T.J. Bickerstaff makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-7
16:40		T.J. Bickerstaff misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:40		Freddy Hicks defensive rebound
16:29		Taryn Todd offensive foul
16:29		Taryn Todd turnover (offensive foul)
16:19	+3	Xavier Brown makes three point jump shot	5-10
15:57		Izaiyah Nelson misses two point layup
15:55		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
15:49		Julien Wooden misses three point jump shot
15:47		Freddy Hicks defensive rebound
15:36		TV timeout
15:25	+3	Derrian Ford makes three point jump shot (Caleb Fields assists)	8-10
14:57		Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot
14:55		Caleb Fields defensive rebound
14:36	+2	Derrian Ford makes two point layup	10-10
14:20		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
14:18		Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound
14:16		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point layup
14:14		Terrence Edwards Jr. offensive rebound
14:12	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point layup	10-12
13:49		Raekwon Horton shooting foul (Caleb Fields draws the foul)
13:49	+1	Caleb Fields makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-12
13:49	+1	Caleb Fields makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-12
13:26		Izaiyah Nelson blocks Noah Freidel's two point layup
13:24		Taryn Todd defensive rebound
13:17	+2	Taryn Todd makes two point layup	14-12
13:01	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point jump shot	14-14
12:46		Freddy Hicks misses two point layup
12:44		Freddy Hicks offensive rebound
12:44		Raekwon Horton shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
12:44	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	15-14
12:44	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-14
12:33	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point jump shot (Michael Green III assists)	16-16
12:14		Caleb Fields misses three point jump shot
12:12		Freddy Hicks offensive rebound
12:09		Freddy Hicks turnover (traveling)
11:55		Lado Laku shooting foul (Jaylen Carey draws the foul)
11:55		TV timeout
16:52	+1	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	16-17
11:55		Jaylen Carey misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:55	+1	Jaylen Carey makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-17
11:28	+2	Izaiyah Nelson makes two point dunk (Caleb Fields assists)	18-17
11:02		Bryant Randleman misses two point jump shot
11:00		Caleb Fields defensive rebound
10:48		Derrian Ford misses two point jump shot
10:46		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
10:39		Jaylen Carey misses three point jump shot
10:37		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
10:20		Julien Wooden blocks Caleb Fields's two point layup
10:19		Red Wolves offensive rebound
10:07		Izaiyah Nelson misses two point layup
10:05		Derrian Ford offensive rebound
10:03		Bryant Randleman blocks Derrian Ford's two point layup
10:01		Julien Wooden defensive rebound
9:53	+2	Xavier Brown makes two point layup	18-19
9:38		Avery Felts turnover (bad pass)
9:21		Taryn Todd shooting foul (Bryant Randleman draws the foul)
9:21		Bryant Randleman misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:21		Bryant Randleman misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:21		Avery Felts defensive rebound
8:53		Avery Felts misses three point jump shot
8:51		T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
8:44	+3	Xavier Brown makes three point jump shot	18-22
8:24	+2	Freddy Hicks makes two point jump shot	20-22
8:12	+3	Xavier Brown makes three point jump shot	20-25
7:57		Avery Felts misses two point layup
7:55		T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
7:43	+2	Xavier Brown makes two point jump shot	20-27
7:14	+3	Avery Felts makes three point jump shot (Freddy Hicks assists)	23-27
6:51		Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (bad pass)
6:51		TV timeout
6:33		Caleb Fields misses two point layup
6:31		Freddy Hicks offensive rebound
6:28		Julien Wooden blocks Freddy Hicks's two point layup
6:27		Red Wolves offensive rebound
6:24		Izaiyah Nelson turnover (out of bounds)
6:13	+3	Xavier Brown makes three point jump shot (Noah Freidel assists)	23-30
5:47		Freddy Hicks misses three point jump shot
5:45		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
5:42		Noah Freidel shooting foul (Izaiyah Nelson draws the foul)
5:42	+1	Izaiyah Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-30
5:42		Izaiyah Nelson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:42		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
5:30		Xavier Brown misses three point jump shot
5:28		Freddy Hicks defensive rebound
5:18		Caleb Fields misses two point layup
5:16		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
5:05	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	24-32
4:35		Freddy Hicks misses three point jump shot
4:33		Dyondre Dominguez offensive rebound
4:32		Dyondre Dominguez misses two point layup
4:30		Freddy Hicks offensive rebound
4:30		Terrence Edwards Jr. shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
4:30	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-32
4:30		Freddy Hicks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:30		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
4:26		Dyondre Dominguez misses three point jump shot
4:24		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
4:10	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot	25-34
3:48		Caleb Fields misses two point layup
3:46		Izaiyah Nelson offensive rebound
3:45	+2	Izaiyah Nelson makes two point layup	27-34
3:28		Izaiyah Nelson shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul)
3:28		TV timeout
3:28	+1	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-35
3:28	+1	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-36
2:59	+2	Taryn Todd makes two point layup	29-36
2:37	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	29-38
2:15		Noah Freidel blocks Caleb Fields's two point layup
2:13		Noah Freidel defensive rebound
2:04	+2	Xavier Brown makes two point jump shot	29-40
1:46	+2	Freddy Hicks makes two point jump shot (Taryn Todd assists)	31-40
1:28		Xavier Brown misses two point jump shot
1:26		Caleb Fields defensive rebound
1:24		Terrence Edwards Jr. personal foul
1:03		Taryn Todd misses three point jump shot
1:01		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
0:41	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	31-42
0:15		Raekwon Horton shooting foul (Caleb Fields draws the foul)
0:15		Caleb Fields misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:15	+1	Caleb Fields makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-42
0:02		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:01		Dukes offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
ARST
Red Wolves
39
JMU
Dukes
49

Time		Play	Score
19:51	+3	Noah Freidel makes three point jump shot (T.J. Bickerstaff assists)	32-45
19:23		Derrian Ford misses three point jump shot
19:21		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
19:05		Xavier Brown misses two point jump shot
19:03		Caleb Fields defensive rebound
18:48		Izaiyah Nelson misses three point jump shot
18:46		Julien Wooden defensive rebound
18:33	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot	32-47
18:13		Xavier Brown personal foul
18:11	+3	Taryn Todd makes three point jump shot (Caleb Fields assists)	35-47
17:49		T.J. Bickerstaff misses two point layup
17:47		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
17:42		Xavier Brown shooting foul (Derrian Ford draws the foul)
17:42		Derrian Ford misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:42	+1	Derrian Ford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-47
17:20	+3	Noah Freidel makes three point jump shot (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)	36-50
17:20		Freddy Hicks shooting foul (Noah Freidel draws the foul)
17:20	+1	Noah Freidel makes regular free throw 1 of 1	36-51
17:02		Noah Freidel shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
17:02	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-51
17:02		Freddy Hicks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:02		T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
16:46		Izaiyah Nelson blocks Noah Freidel's two point layup
16:44		Taryn Todd defensive rebound
16:39	+2	Caleb Fields makes two point layup (Taryn Todd assists)	39-51
16:18		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses three point jump shot
16:16		Xavier Brown offensive rebound
16:10	+3	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes three point jump shot (Xavier Brown assists)	39-54
15:50		Caleb Fields misses three point jump shot
15:48		Derrian Ford offensive rebound
15:44		Taryn Todd misses three point jump shot
15:42		Dukes defensive rebound
15:42		Izaiyah Nelson personal foul
15:41		TV timeout
15:32		Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (back court violation)
15:11		Julien Wooden shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
15:11	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-54
15:11	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-54
14:59	+2	T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Noah Freidel assists)	41-56
14:45	+3	Freddy Hicks makes three point jump shot (Caleb Fields assists)	44-56
14:29	+2	Julien Wooden makes two point layup	44-58
14:21		Taryn Todd turnover (lost ball) (Julien Wooden steals)
14:17	+2	T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup	44-60
14:05		Caleb Fields turnover (lost ball) (Jaylen Carey steals)
13:48	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot	44-62
13:32	+3	Caleb Fields makes three point jump shot (Taryn Todd assists)	47-62
13:30		Red Wolves 30 second timeout
13:30		TV timeout
13:11		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
13:09		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
12:55		Freddy Hicks misses three point jump shot
12:53		Avery Felts offensive rebound
12:45		Derrian Ford misses three point jump shot
12:43		Avery Felts offensive rebound
12:38		Caleb Fields misses three point jump shot
12:36		Terrence Edwards Jr. defensive rebound
12:27		Julien Wooden offensive foul
12:27		Julien Wooden turnover (offensive foul)
12:12		Caleb Fields misses two point jump shot
12:10		Jaylen Carey defensive rebound
12:02	+2	Noah Freidel makes two point layup	47-64
12:02		Izaiyah Nelson shooting foul (Noah Freidel draws the foul)
12:02	+1	Noah Freidel makes regular free throw 1 of 1	47-65
11:49		Michael Green III shooting foul (Caleb Fields draws the foul)
11:49		TV timeout
11:49	+1	Caleb Fields makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-65
11:49	+1	Caleb Fields makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-65
11:34	+2	Jaylen Carey makes two point layup	49-67
11:15		Xavier Brown shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
11:15	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	50-67
11:15	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-67
11:02	+2	Raekwon Horton makes two point layup (Jaylen Carey assists)	51-69
10:52		Taryn Todd misses three point jump shot
10:50		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
10:40	+3	Michael Green III makes three point jump shot (Xavier Brown assists)	51-72
10:23		Taryn Todd misses three point jump shot
10:21		Dukes defensive rebound
10:07		Avery Felts shooting foul (Raekwon Horton draws the foul)
10:07	+1	Raekwon Horton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-73
10:07	+1	Raekwon Horton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-74
9:48		Derrian Ford misses three point jump shot
9:46		T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
9:20	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot	51-76
9:11	+3	Derrian Ford makes three point jump shot (Freddy Hicks assists)	54-76
8:52	+3	Michael Green III makes three point jump shot (T.J. Bickerstaff assists)	54-79
8:26		Derrian Ford misses three point jump shot
8:24		Xavier Brown defensive rebound
8:22		Xavier Brown turnover (lost ball) (Freddy Hicks steals)
8:20		Michael Green III shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
8:20	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-79
8:20	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-79
8:09		Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (bad pass)
7:50		Derrian Ford turnover (bad pass) (Raekwon Horton steals)
7:33	+2	Raekwon Horton makes two point layup (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)	56-81
7:24	+2	Freddy Hicks makes two point layup (Caleb Fields assists)	58-81
7:09		Avery Felts shooting foul (Terrence Edwards Jr. draws the foul)
7:09		TV timeout
7:09	+1	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-82
7:09	+1	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-83
6:49		Freddy Hicks turnover (lost ball) (Xavier Brown steals)
6:26	+2	T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Michael Green III assists)	58-85
6:02		Freddy Hicks misses two point jump shot
6:00		Raekwon Horton defensive rebound
5:36	+2	Terrence Edwards Jr. makes two point jump shot	58-87
5:05	+2	Freddy Hicks makes two point jump shot	60-87
4:29		Terrence Edwards Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:27		Red Wolves defensive rebound
4:27		T.J. Bickerstaff personal foul (Izaiyah Nelson draws the foul)
4:27	+1	Izaiyah Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-87
4:27		Izaiyah Nelson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:27		T.J. Bickerstaff defensive rebound
4:01		Noah Freidel misses three point jump shot
3:59		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
3:50		Caleb Fields turnover (bad pass) (Xavier Brown steals)
3:21		Terrence Edwards Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Taryn Todd steals)
3:16	+2	Freddy Hicks makes two point layup (Taryn Todd assists)	63-87
3:16		Xavier Brown shooting foul (Freddy Hicks draws the foul)
3:16		TV timeout
3:16	+1	Freddy Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 1	64-87
2:48	+2	Noah Freidel makes two point jump shot (T.J. Bickerstaff assists)	64-89
2:26	+2	Izaiyah Nelson makes two point dunk (Freddy Hicks assists)	66-89
2:01	+2	T.J. Bickerstaff makes two point layup (Terrence Edwards Jr. assists)	66-91
1:46	+2	Taryn Todd makes two point layup	68-91
1:16		Caleb Fields personal foul (Noah Freidel draws the foul)
1:04		Jerrell Roberson misses two point layup
1:02		Izaiyah Nelson defensive rebound
0:52		Hollman Smith personal foul (Taryn Todd draws the foul)
0:52		Taryn Todd misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:52	+1	Taryn Todd makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-91
0:49		Taryn Todd personal foul (Jarrell Pope draws the foul)
0:49		Jarrell Pope misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:49		Taryn Todd defensive rebound
0:45		Taryn Todd misses two point jump shot
0:43		Hollman Smith defensive rebound
0:26		Jarrell Pope turnover (bad pass) (Taryn Todd steals)
0:22	+2	Izaiyah Nelson makes two point dunk (Taryn Todd assists)	71-91
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Izaiyah Nelson makes two point dunk (Taryn Todd assists)