Heartbreak
Late second-half meltdown costs Madison game
By John Galle, sports editor
Posted on February 12, 2007

Although The JMU men’s basketball team began the night with a 7-0 run Saturday at the Convocation Center, Northeastern ended the game with an 18-6 run of its own, as the Huskies went on to win its first road game of the season 67-64.

“Tonight was an extremely hard-fought game baseline-to-baseline, especially underneath the basket,” Northeastern coach Bill Coen said.

JMU freshman point guard Pierre Curtis had a career-high 20 points as the Dukes used the dribble drive to break through the Huskies’ defense. Curtis was also 10-of-12 from the stripe.

“He’s one of the quickest players in the league,” Northeastern’s Bobby Kelly said of covering Curtis. “He’s one of the toughest [to defend].”

Northeastern, on the other hand, got 27 points from its bench, including a game-high 21 from sophomore forward Eugene Spates, which tied his career best.

“I was feeling it,” Spates said. “Coach and my teammates were firing me up.”

JMU sophomore forward Juwann James was feeling it as well, looking like he was back in good health. The Dukes went inside to him early and often, and James drained 11 of his 18 points in the first half. At the break, JMU had 18 points in the paint to NU’s eight and 11 points off turnovers, compared to NU’s four.

Northeastern relied on 3-pointers for about half of its offensive production in the first frame, hitting 5-of-13 behind the arc.

In the second half, JMU looked to be in control and even led by as much as 12 points; however, with 4:29 to play, NU took its first lead of the half and rolled from there.

Foul trouble plagued both teams on a night that saw 48 personal fouls called. But it stung worse for JMU, who lost two big bodies in James and junior center Gabriel Chami down the stretch.

And when NU hit back-to-back threes on its way to a 10-0 run late, the Huskies found themselves right back in it, catching up to the Dukes at 59 all.

In the final 14 minutes, the Dukes managed only three field goals.

“That was the game,” Keener said of JMU’s lack of offense down the stretch. “We missed some free-throws and Spates came in and had a career night, but at the end of the day, we weren’t good enough offensively.”

With 2:12 remaining, JMU got one of those field goals from sophomore guard Joe Posey — who hit from behind the arc for his first field goal of the game. The shot swung momentum back to JMU, bringing the Dukes within one, 64-65.

With the last minute to decide the game, the Dukes had their chances.

They started by drawing an offensive foul on defense, but couldn’t capitalize. Then, with the shot clock turned off, they put NU’s Matt Janning on the foul line. The reigning back-to-back CAA Rookie of the Week missed the front end, but nailed the second, giving his team a two-point lead.

Despite two good looks from Posey behind the arc and Santos just outside the paint, JMU couldn’t find the net.

“It was just free throws, free throws,” said JMU junior forward Terrance Carter, who had eight points and six rebounds. “We missed three in the first [half], five in the second. It hurt us. [Personally], to go 2-of-6, I’m really not happy.”

Northeastern virtually won the game at the stripe.

“We were fortunate to make free throws down the stretch,” Coen said. “They had some good looks, but weren’t able to convert.”

In their last possession, JMU got the ball to Posey, who put up a three that would have forced overtime. But the basketball only found the rim as time expired.

“Losing by three after we were up by double digits hurts a lot,” Curtis said.

Said Keener: “It’s just difficult that they went to zone … we weren’t able to make shots and it took away Curtis’ ability to drive.”