CAA, NBC reach deal on TV rights for basketball, football
The Colonial Athletic Association has reached five-year agreements with the NBC Sports Group that will provide the most extensive and comprehensive exposure of the conference in its history with coverage on NBC Sports Network and across the group’s regional sports networks.
The agreements, which begin with the 2012-13 season and runs through 2016-17, will provide national television coverage of CAA men’s basketball and football games on the NBC Sports Network, regional television coverage of CAA men’s and women’s basketball and football through the Comcast SportsNet regional networks and coverage of a variety of other CAA sports through NBCSports.com. The CAA is the first collegiate athletic conference to sign a broadcast agreement with the NBC Sports Network, which launched on January 2, 2012. Continue reading “CAA, NBC reach deal on TV rights for basketball, football” »
Mid-majors announce BracketBusters schedule
Three CAA teams were selected for televised games in the 10th annual Sears BracketBusters, which will be held Feb. 17-18, 2012. The CAA had the second-most teams chosen for televised games of any of the participating 16 conferences, trailing only the Missouri Valley.
It’s the fifth time in the past six years that at least three CAA teams were chosen for televised matchups in the event, which provides programs a chance to face top non-conference opponents about three weeks before Selection Sunday. The CAA has posted an impressive 16-10 record in televised games over the past seven years, including a 4-1 mark last season. Continue reading “Mid-majors announce BracketBusters schedule” »
Matthews: We play for championships
A reporter once asked the legendary Bear Bryant, So, Coach, you’re not playing well. Is there any controversy on your team?
“And he said, Well, if there’s not, I’m going to cause some,” James Madison University football coach Mickey Matthews continued the story. “You asked me, Have I noticed if there’s more motivation after 6-5? And I would answer that, If there’s not, I’m going to cause some.”
The bad news is the Dukes were 6-5 in 2009, a year after reaching the national semifinals and sending already high expectations through the roof for the ’09 campaign. The good news, if there can be good news with a 6-5 finish, is that JMU won its final four to get to 6-5.
“That was huge for us,” senior quarterback Drew Dudzik, who entered camp as the starter after a spring that Matthews said left it clear who his #1 guy should be. Dudzik said a group of senior leaders on the team met in January to talk about the ’09 season and set goals for ’10 and set their teammates on the path to working hard to avoid a repeat of the pain of last season. Continue reading “Matthews: We play for championships” »
JMU’s Munson honored after big week
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
James Madison junior closer Kevin Munson (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) was named Colonial Athletic Association Co-Pitcher of the Week after a week that included a pair of key league wins along with being listed on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Midseason Watch List for the National Stopper of the Year award. Continue reading “JMU’s Munson honored after big week” »
Hofstra knocks off JMU women
JMU men upset W&M
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Senior guard Sam Brigham (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) scored 19 points, including two layups at the end of regulation to tie the game, as Hofstra (11-9, 4-4) defeated James Madison (15-4, 5-3) 69-62 in overtime in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Thursday evening at the JMU Convocation Center.
Hofstra outscored JMU 13-6 in overtime and never trailed in the period. Redshirt sophomore guard Candice Bellocchio (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter’s) opened the period with a three-pointer at 4:28. Freshman guard Candace Bond (Fort Washington, Md./Riverdale Baptist) scored Hofstra’s next three points, all at the foul line, to put the Pride up 62-56 at 2:26.
After a JMU basket on a putback by junior center Lauren Jimenez (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) at 2:02, Hofstra scored six straight points to pull ahead by 10, 68-58, with 44.5 seconds to go. Bond hit a 10-foot jumper on the right baseline at 1:39, Brigham knocked down two free throws with 55.7 seconds to go, and Bond converted two foul shots to push the lead to 10. Continue reading “Hofstra knocks off JMU women” »
JMU holds off Radford
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Senior guard Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) and freshman guard Darren White (Danville, Va./Dan River) hit four free throws in the final 16 seconds to push James Madison past Radford 67-63 in a non-conference men’s basketball game Monday evening at the Convocation Center.
JMU snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 9-11 for the season. RU dropped to 10-9. The contest was originally slated for Dec. 19 but was postponed due to a severe winter storm.
The Dukes trailed 55-54 with 3:12 to go before reeling off a 9-0 run to take their largest lead of the night at 63-55 with 49 seconds remaining. However, the lead vanished in 32 seconds thanks to an 8-0 spurt by the Highlanders. Continue reading “JMU holds off Radford” »
Evans’ 30 leads JMU to CAA road win
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Junior guard Dawn Evans (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast) scored 30 points and hit a school-record nine three pointers to lead James Madison (5-2, 15-3) to a 67-61 win at Georgia State (2-5, 11-7) in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Sunday afternoon at the GSU Sports Arena.
Evans scored 20 of her points in the first 10:54 of the second half, when JMU outscored the Panthers 31-15 to take its largest lead of the game, 58-45, at 9:06. Evans, who hit three threes in the first half, knocked down six threes in that run. The Dukes started the half trailing by three, 30-27.
The Panthers were able to close the margin to five (62-67 at 1:19) but could get no closer. Continue reading “Evans’ 30 leads JMU to CAA road win” »
JMU falls short at UNC-W
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Junior forward John Fields had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and junior guard Chad Tomko scored 13 second-half points as North Carolina-Wilmington rallied for a 67-64 Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball victory over James Madison Saturday.
JMU led by 10 points late during the first half and 30-24 at halftime before the host Seahawks gained control by hitting for four three-point field goals during the opening 10 minutes of the final half. UNC-Wilmington eventually led 62-54 and held on for the win after JMU got to within a point twice during the final 36 seconds.
UNC-Wilmington with the victory snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 7-13 overall and to 3-6 in the CAA. JMU fell to 8-11 overall and to 2-7 in the CAA. Continue reading “JMU falls short at UNC-W” »
JMU rallies to knock off Northeastern
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
James Madison (4-2, 14-2) outscored Northeastern (1-5, 6-11) 20-5 in the final 6:55 to post a 64-57 come-from-behind over the Huskies in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Thursday evening at Solomon Court.
JMU junior guard Dawn Evans (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast) , the nation’s leading scorer, led all players with 29 points. Freshman guard Tarik Hislop (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) added 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds, and junior center Lauren Jimenez (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) scored 10 points.
Northeastern was led by Kim Carr with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Brittany Wilson scored 12 points for the Huskies. Continue reading “JMU rallies to knock off Northeastern” »
Drexel takes control in second half, knocks off JMU
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Junior guard Jamie Harris scored 16 of his game-high 20 points while host Drexel controlled play for most of the final half in a 78-57 victory over James Madison in men’s Colonial Athletic Association basketball Wednesday.
JMU expanded a 29-27 halftime lead to 34-29 by the 17:40 mark of the second half, but hot-shooting Drexel took charge with a 14-2 scoring burst and stayed comfortably in front the rest of the way.
JMU with the loss fell to 8-10 overall and to 2-6 in the CAA. Drexel is 10-10 overall and 5-3 in the CAA.
Drexel during the final half shot 61.3 percent (19-31) overall and hit on eight of 11 shots from three-point range. The Dragons for the game had a 47-25 rebounding edge and took advantage of 14 offensive rebounds. JMU for the game shot 42.0 percent (21-50) overall, 15.4 percent (2-13) on three-point tries and 48.1 percent (13-27) from the foul line. Continue reading “Drexel takes control in second half, knocks off JMU” »
ODU pulls upset
Monarchs roll past Dukes
Staff Report
JMU sports: www.jmusports.com
Old Dominion (3-1, 5-9) jumped out to a 34-19 halftime lead and went on to post a 67-58 victory over James Madison (3-1, 13-2) in Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball Sunday afternoon at the JMU Convocation Center.
Senior forward Jessica Canady (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) scored a team-high 14 points for ODU. Junior guard Shadasia Green (Paterson, N.J./Eastside) and guard Jasmine Parker (Norfolk, Va./Maury) also scored in double digits, contributing 13 and 10 points, respectively. Parker also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Continue reading “ODU pulls upset” »
Best football weekend of the year
Column by Mike Judge
WeekendWatchdog.blogspot.com
You know Chris Berman’s happy this week. He just loves this NFL weekend.
Four games.
Best four teams of the regular season hosting.
Winners move one step closer to the Super Bowl.
The highlight game – Baltimore at the Colts (Saturday at 8 p.m.). The last time the Super Bowl was played in South Florida, these teams met in this round. The road team (the Colts) won that meeting en route to their Super Bowl XLI championship.
I think it would be nice for the road team to win Saturday and send the Ravens on their way to Super Bowl XLIV. Continue reading “Best football weekend of the year” »
