Southern Miss pulled off a stunning upset at Reed Green Coliseum, taking down James Madison 73-65 in a non-conference showdown. The Golden Eagles, ranked 249 in the net rankings, were not given much of a chance against the Dukes, who were predicted to win by 0.7 points according to CHD Scout. However, Tylik Weeks and company had other plans, as they dominated the first half and held off a late James Madison surge to secure the impressive victory.
The game got off to a rocky start for James Madison, as Southern Miss jumped out to an early lead and took a 29-21 advantage into halftime. The Golden Eagles' defense was stifling in the first half, holding the Dukes to just 21 points on 38% shooting. On the other end, Weeks was unstoppable, scoring 15 of his 28 points in the first half to pace Southern Miss. Cliff Davis, James Madison's top scorer, struggled to find his rhythm in the first half, scoring just 6 of his 18 points.
The second half was a different story, as James Madison came out firing and cut the deficit to just 4 points midway through the period. However, Southern Miss responded with a 10-2 run, capped off by a Weeks layup, to push the lead back to 12. The Dukes made one final push, cutting the lead to 6 with just over a minute remaining, but the Golden Eagles were able to close out the game at the free throw line.
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Weeks was the star of the show for Southern Miss, finishing with 28 points and 6 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by Dylan Brumfield, who chipped in 10 points and 5 rebounds. For James Madison, Davis and Bradley Douglas led the way with 18 points apiece. Despite the loss, the Dukes can take solace in the fact that they outscored Southern Miss 44-44 in the second half, showing that they have the firepower to compete with anyone.
The upset victory is a huge resume booster for Southern Miss, who badly needed a win over a team with a higher net ranking. Unfortunately, this game falls into Quadrant 4 for both teams, which limits its impact on their tournament chances. However, for Southern Miss, the win is a much-needed confidence boost, and it shows that they have the ability to compete with teams above them in the rankings. For James Madison, the loss is a setback, but they still have time to regroup and make a push for the postseason. As it stands, both teams must string together some wins to get back into the tournament conversation.