Game 1- James Madison

[clarkwgriswold]

James Madison comes into the 2025-26 season after posting a 20-12 record last season with a loss in the Sun Belt Final to Troy.

 

From looking at their roster, they have a ton of new faces.  Included in these transfers are the following:

·       Paul Jones, a 6’4” sophomore guard who averaged 7.6 ppg and 3 rpg last year at Winthrop where he was named to the Big South Conference.

·       Bradley Douglas, a 6’4” senior guard transfer from Geogia Southern where he averaged 12.6 ppg,  2.3 rpg and 2.2 apg.  He’s on his 5th school in 5 years.

·       Cliff Davis- 6’2” senior guard transfer from Rio Grande where he averaged 12.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg.

·       Paul Lewis, a 6’2” guard who started at Vanderbilt then transferred to UTSA where he missed nearly all of last season due to injury.

·       Justin McBride, a 6’7 junior forward transfer from Nevada (Previously Okla. St.) where he averaged 7.8 ppg and 4/1 rpg.

·       Ike Cornish, a 6’6” senior guard transfer from Nicholls who averaged 7.7. ppg and 2.2 rpg.  He started in Maryland and spent a season at Ohio U.

·       Eli Wilborn, a 6’8” junior forward who was a teammate of Barre at Duquesne where he averaged 5 ppg and 3.5 rpg last year.

·       Gabe Newhof,  a 6’9” senior forward who was an NAIA All-American at Spring Arbor last season, averaging 21.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg.

 

From looking at the roster JMU appears deep and experienced and will again be towards the top of the Sun Belt standings.  They’ll also likely still be in transition mode with so many new faces.  

 

I'll keep updating as more info and previews become available.

[LZIp]

Thanks Clark. They seem like a team with a high ceiling that will probably peak later in the season once players gain chemistry and rotations are sorted out. Glad we got them game 1. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

This is such a good opening game. JMU brings a solid G5 brand into an arena that lacks opponents with solid brands. I really hope UA marketing is getting the word out that this game is just a few weeks away. We need a solid 4k+ crowd. 

 

We match up well with them. We're bigger, but they're going to be a handful athletically. Our guards need to take care of the ball and we need to make our shots. Do that, and we'll be 1-0 with a nice early-season resume building win. 

[csims0917]

Really wish ESPN could pick up this game for tv but having it on opening night makes that near impossible 

[Blue & Gold]

17 minutes ago, csims0917 said:

Really wish ESPN could pick up this game for tv but having it on opening night makes that near impossible 

Do you mean ESPN or ESPN+? I don't see any viewing options listed for any of our games yet.

[clarkwgriswold]

They certainly have some experienced guard depth.

[csims0917]

59 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Do you mean ESPN or ESPN+? I don't see any viewing options listed for any of our games yet.

I mean ESPN2 or U. I'd be shocked if we weren't on ESPN+. Especially cause both conferences have deals with ESPN

[clarkwgriswold]

JMU appears to have only one returner of any consequence, Eddie Ricks, a 6'7" junior forward who averaged 6.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg last season.

 

This type of situation makes me realize how blessed we are to have a program that can hold onto kids from season to season.