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.

[csims0917]

3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

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.

Hopefully we can take advantage like how Arkansas State took advantage last year against us

[mrelegazna]

On 10/15/2025 at 6:58 AM, csims0917 said:

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

Speaking of which, it sure is making me nervous that we're in the eleventh hour here and MAC home games STILL aren't being listed on ESPN+ on sites that track that stuff, in contrast to similar and worse conferences.

The MAC's deal with ESPN properties is still active, right?  I sure would hate it if we couldn't find a streaming home, or worse, ended up on FloSports.

Edited October 17 by mrelegazna

[Let'sGoZips94]

2 hours ago, mrelegazna said:

Speaking of which, it sure is making me nervous that we're in the eleventh hour here and MAC home games STILL aren't being listed on ESPN+ on sites that track that stuff, in contrast to similar and worse conferences.

The MAC's deal with ESPN properties is still active, right?  I sure would hate it if we couldn't find a streaming home, or worse, ended up on FloSports.

 

This game will be available one way or another. I can almost guarantee the debate is which network picks it up, and will it be nationally televised on ESPN2, U, or CBSSports vs. ESPN+. These are 2 top G5 programs on CBB opening night. I'd be surprised if it's not nationally televised. 

Edited October 17 by Let'sGoZips94

[mrelegazna]

9 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

This game will be available one way or another. I can almost guarantee the debate is which network picks it up, and will it be nationally televised on ESPN2, U, or CBSSports vs. ESPN+. These are 2 top G5 programs on CBB opening night. I'd be surprised if it's not nationally televised. 

Well, my concern is for the availability of MAC games as a whole. All MAC homes games, except some against D2 or lower teams, have been on ESPN+ (or cable TV stations) on ESPN+ for a few years now. Most games in this MAC vs. SBC challenge do not feature top programs and as such, I would hope would already be on the ESPN+ "schedule," but they are not yet, which makes me nervous, like some contractual thing still has to be hammered out or resolved, and what if it doesn't?  That's why I'm asking if anyone knows the length of the MAC agreement with ESPN.

As far as this game specifically goes, I think you're overselling how much interest this is going to get from cable TV networks. If it's on ESPNU, it will have to work around Florida Atlantic at Boston College at 7 (already on the schedule), and if it's on CBSSN, it will have to work around Lehigh at Houston at 8 (ditto).

I actually think ESPN and CBSSN both actually do a pretty good job of giving mid and low majors some love, but not really until conference play is underway and they have some idea who are the top dogs in each conference.  Until then, they want games that involve at least one high major for the most part. I would be shocked if this game landed on ESPN2.

[Zips1991]

2 hours ago, mrelegazna said:

Well, my concern is for the availability of MAC games as a whole. All MAC homes games, except some against D2 or lower teams, have been on ESPN+ (or cable TV stations) on ESPN+ for a few years now. Most games in this MAC vs. SBC challenge do not feature top programs and as such, I would hope would already be on the ESPN+ "schedule," but they are not yet, which makes me nervous, like some contractual thing still has to be hammered out or resolved, and what if it doesn't?  That's why I'm asking if anyone knows the length of the MAC agreement with ESPN.

As far as this game specifically goes, I think you're overselling how much interest this is going to get from cable TV networks. If it's on ESPNU, it will have to work around Florida Atlantic at Boston College at 7 (already on the schedule), and if it's on CBSSN, it will have to work around Lehigh at Houston at 8 (ditto).

I actually think ESPN and CBSSN both actually do a pretty good job of giving mid and low majors some love, but not really until conference play is underway and they have some idea who are the top dogs in each conference.  Until then, they want games that involve at least one high major for the most part. I would be shocked if this game landed on ESPN2.

I don't know how long the MAC deal with espn is, but it's still active for this football season and I don't know why it would end during the middle of the academic year (usually the timetable used in college deals). 

 

I think the ESPN+ designation will be made available once the game times are announced which should be in the next week or two, other than those that end up being TV wildcard games. 

Edited October 18 by Zips1991

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, Zips1991 said:

I don't know how long the MAC deal with espn is, but it's still active for this football season and I don't know why it would end during the middle of the academic year (usually the timetable used in college deals). 

 

I think the ESPN+ designation will be made available once the game times are announced which should be in the next week or two, other than those that end up being TV wildcard games. 

 

The MAC deal with ESPN ends after the 2026/2027 academic year. There isn't any cause for concern. I'm fairly certain television coverage for MAC football was fairly late to be listed for ESPN+ coverage.

[clarkwgriswold]

James Madison chosen as pre-season favorite in the Sun Belt-

 

https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2025/10/20/james-madison-tabbed-2025-26-sun-belt-mens-basketball-favorite-odus-davis-named-preseason-player-of-the-year.aspx

 

Oddly, they received only one first place vote and 8 teams received a first place vote.  That shows you the uncertainly that comes in the age of player mobility.

Edited Wednesday at 12:42 PM by clarkwgriswold

[clarkwgriswold]

Another article on JMU-

 

https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/jmu-men-a-narrow-pick-to-win-sun-belt/article_d7d912d0-0019-5ae0-8535-e83a53dd48b4.html

[Let'sGoZips94]

For anyone attending this game who is interested, most of my season ticket parking passes are available for use as I won't be able to attend the majority of games (I bought the season ticket to consolidate into a few games). Let me know if you would like the parking passes I will not be using and I'll bring them to give away. 

 

EDIT: These have been claimed. Go Zips.

Edited yesterday at 01:10 AM by Let'sGoZips94

[mrelegazna]

On 10/18/2025 at 9:25 AM, kreed5120 said:

 

The MAC deal with ESPN ends after the 2026/2027 academic year. There isn't any cause for concern. I'm fairly certain television coverage for MAC football was fairly late to be listed for ESPN+ coverage.

You're right.  And we finally have a tip time (7PM) and network (ESPN+).

[Zips1991]

Black out on opening night. 

 

https://x.com/AkronZips/status/1981390162102730863?t=n6OVE-Bc7R0hkV832vpMMw&s=19

Edited yesterday at 04:10 PM by Zips1991

[csims0917]

Really prefer the previous black and gold unis. Black and blue never sits right with me for some reason

[ZipsFan31]

I like the new uniforms! Blue and black is unique, good for a single game 

[csims0917]

Anyone ever sit courtside? 

[kreed5120]

14 minutes ago, csims0917 said:

Anyone ever sit courtside? 

I've never sat courtside, but that's a pretty incredible deal. Especially once you consider those will likely be 2 of the better teams we will be facing at home this season.