MIAMI (JMU Athletics) – Justin McBride scored a career-high 26 points, and James Madison men’s basketball held FIU to 1-of-14 shooting in the final minutes to pull away for an 80-72 road win over the Panthers on Monday night at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
JMU (4-3) picked up its first road win of the 2025-26 season, holding FIU (2-3) to 1-of-14 shooting in the final minutes and 7-of-30 (.233) from the floor in the second half after the Panthers shot 45.7 percent from the field and scored 45 points in the first half.
The Dukes secured 25 offensive rebounds, the most for a JMU team since at least 2004. JMU outrebounded FIU 56-41 for the game, its most rebounds since finishing with 65 against Keystone on Dec. 3, 2023.
Along with McBride’s 26 points, Bradley Douglas added 11 points on 9-of-10 free throw shooting. Christian Brown tallied a career-high 11 rebounds and blocked a shot, and Eddie Ricks III pitched in eight points and seven rebounds.
Corey Stephenson had 25 points to lead FIU in scoring, while Hamed Olayinka and Eric Dibami led the Panthers with eight boards.
How It Happened
First Half: FIU 45, JMU 41
• A Stephenson three-pointer put FIU up 25-18 with just over eight minutes on the clock. The Dukes responded with an 11-2 run, capped off by a layup from Eli Wilborn, to take a 29-27 lead.
• The Panthers went into the half holding a 45-41 advantage after Ibrahim Olajuwon scored the final four points of the first 20 minutes.
Second Half: JMU 80, FIU 72
• After both teams battled back and forth for most of the opening 10 minutes of the half, the Panthers opened a 60-56 lead with 10:43 left.
• JMU surged ahead 65-60, using a 9-0 run to swing the momentum. FIU trimmed the JMU lead to one (68-67), but a pair of threes from McBride gave the Dukes a 74-67 lead with 3:58 left.
• A three from Julian Mackey once again cut the JMU lead to a single possession (75-72), but the Dukes put the game away at the free throw line to secure their first road win of the 2025-26 season.
Game Notes
• JMU improved to 4-0 against FIU and 3-0 against the Panthers in Miami, Fla.
• The Dukes also improved to 11-1 under Preston Spradlin when scoring 80 or more points, including 3-0 this season.
• Through seven games, McBride is shooting 12-of-24 (.500) from behind the arc, knocking down 3-of-6 from deep today.
• JMU finished with 25 offensive rebounds, its most in a game against a Division I opponent since securing 53 against The Citadel on Nov. 20, 2020.
• McBride’s 26-point effort was his second straight game with 20 or more points.
• The Dukes also finished with 25 offensive rebounds, their most in a game since at least 2004.
• JMU’s 22 made free throws is a season high.
Up Next
JMU returns to the hardwood tomorrow against the Omaha Mavericks at 7 p.m. on the JMU Radio Network inside the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
— JMU Athletics —
