Virginia Basketball vs. JMU Game Preview, Score Prediction

On Saturday, Virginia avenged a buzzer-beater loss to Florida State from final season with a 62-57 win over the Seminoles. On Tuesday night time, UVA will look to get revenge for a equally painful loss from final season during which JMU picked up its first-ever win over Virginia in an enormous upset in Harrisonburg. The Cavaliers are a lot improved since final season, coming in undefeated and ranked at No. 3 within the nation, however the identical will also be stated for the Dukes, who carry within the No. 1 scoring offense in all of faculty basketball. Tuesday night time’s rematch in Charlottesville might be one other entertaining matchup between these two Commonwealth foes. 

Learn on for a full preview of Virginia vs. James Madison, together with particulars on the sport, an opponent scouting report, sport notes, and a rating prediction. 

Recreation Particulars

Who: James Madison Dukes (7-2, 0-0 Solar Belt) at Virginia Cavaliers (7-0, 1-0 ACC)

When: Tuesday, December sixth at 8pm

The place: John Paul Jones Area in Charlottesville, Virginia

Methods to watch: ACC Community

Methods to stream: fuboTV (Begin your free trial)

Methods to pay attention: SiriusXM 158 or 194, SXM App 956 | Virginia Sports activities Radio Community – click on right here for associates

All-time sequence: Virginia leads 11-1

Final assembly: JMU defeated UVA 52-49 final season in Harrisonburg, marking the primary time the Dukes have ever defeated the Cavaliers. 

Opponent Scouting Report: James Madison

2021-2022: 15-14, 6-12 CAA

2022-2023: 7-2
Wins: vs. Valley Forge 123-38, vs. Hampton 106-58, at Buffalo 97-62, at Howard 95-69, vs. Coastal Georgia 100-54, vs. South Dakota State 79-60, vs. Japanese Kentucky 97-80
Losses: at North Carolina 80-64, vs. Valparaiso 81-79 (OT)

Irrespective of the way you have a look at it, JMU has been explosive on the offensive finish of the ground via the primary 9 video games of the season. The Dukes are at present No. 1 in scoring out of 363 Division I males’s basketball groups. JMU has scored 100 or extra factors 3 times already this season and 90 or extra factors in six of the 9 video games. The Dukes are averaging 93.3 factors per sport as one in every of solely 4 groups in all of faculty basketball averaging higher than 90 factors per sport. JMU is No. 2 within the nation in group subject aim proportion at 52.8%. Each JMU and Virginia can shoot the rock from past the arc, because the Dukes are seventh at 42.2% from three and the Cavaliers are fourth within the nation at 42.3%. 

Not a lot of JMU’s wins have been in opposition to robust opponents, however the Dukes did beat South Dakota State, an NCAA Match group from final season, by 19 factors. JMU’s two losses got here at North Carolina and in opposition to Valparaiso by two factors in time beyond regulation on a impartial flooring. 

JMU has an skilled and veteran-laden roster, because the Dukes returned many key contributors from the group that pulled the upset over UVA final December. 4 JMU gamers are at present averaging in double figures scoring and eight gamers averaged over seven factors per sport, as must be anticipated from the nation’s No. 1 offense. 

Graduate guard Takal Molson is the group’s main scorer at 12.6 factors per sport and is at present capturing 47.4% from three. Molson is only one of a number of succesful perimeter threats on JMU’s roster. Redshirt sophomore Terrence Edwards is having a breakout season, scoring 12.3 factors per sport, making 10 of 15 three-point makes an attempt, and can be the group’s main help man. Redshirt senior level guard Vado Morse is one other succesful facilitator and scorer, capturing 39.2% from three and averaging 12.0 factors per sport. South Dakota State switch Noah Freidel has not shot the three-ball at a excessive proportion (28.8%), however that hasn’t hindered his confidence in any respect, as he leads the Dukes in three-point makes an attempt with 59. 

JMU performs small-ball virtually solely with no gamers taller than 6’8″ incomes vital minutes. The Dukes rotate 4 gamers in on the entrance courtroom positions and all of them are undersized, however athletic bigs able to operating the ground. Mount St. Mary’s switch Mezie Offurum leads the best way with 11.0 factors and 5.7 rebounds. Offurum, Julien Picket (9.4 ppg), and Alonzo Sule (8.2 ppg) can all stretch the ground, capturing the three at 40% or higher. Justin Amadi is maybe the one participant for JMU who does not shoot the three, however provides dependable front-court play in any other case with 7.4 factors and 4.3 rebounds per sport. 

JMU’s concentrate on enjoying smaller, extra athletic bigs permits the Dukes to go all-in on their most popular type of play, which operates in direct distinction to Virginia. JMU extends its protection out past the three-point line and aggressively hunts for steals with a purpose to get out in transition. The Dukes at present play the Sixteenth-fastest tempo within the nation, as in comparison with the Cavaliers who as soon as once more play at one of many slowest paces within the nation. Avoiding turnovers and enjoying good transition protection might be important for Virginia on this matchup. 

Recreation Notes

• JMU earned its first-ever win in opposition to Virginia final season, however UVA leads the all-time sequence 11-1.
• Virginia is 7-0 in opposition to JMU in video games performed in Charlottesville.
• JMU is the one opponent from the Solar Belt Convention on UVA’s common season schedule this season.
• Virginia owns a 33-9 report in opposition to groups who’re at present members of the Solar Belt.
• UVA is 74-18 all-time in opposition to groups within the Commonwealth of Virginia, together with wins in 27 of its final 33 video games in opposition to Virginia opponents.
• Virginia is 7-0 for the primary time because the 2019-2020 season.
• That is the sixth time within the final 9 seasons that the Cavaliers have began a season 7-0.

Prediction

After getting a style of taking down Virginia for the primary time ever final 12 months, the Dukes might be simply as motivated to do it once more this season and win in Charlottesville for the primary time. JMU definitely has the offensive firepower to do exactly that, however that is by far the most effective protection that JMU has confronted this season. Virginia has some sharpening as much as do on the defensive finish to rise up to Tony Bennett’s requirements, however the Cavaliers nonetheless rank within the high 20 within the nation in adjusted defensive effectivity. This might be a giant alternative for Kadin Shedrick to make use of his measurement benefit in opposition to a smaller group, however count on UVA to additionally make the most of one in every of its strongest lineups with Jayden Gardner and Ben Vander Plas within the entrance courtroom. UVA will depend on its sluggish tempo and robust transition protection to neutralize JMU’s bread-and-butter fast-break factors.  Virginia avenges final 12 months’s loss in Harrisonburg with a win earlier than taking a much-needed 11-day break to relaxation and get better earlier than the colossal showdown with Houston on December seventeenth. 

Rating Prediction: Virginia 78, JMU 68

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