JMU squanders another second-half lead amidst conference losing skid

Brooks frustrated by abrupt loss of chemistry, confidence

Amy Paterson / senior photographer Freshman forward/center Meredith Alexis eyes up a three-point shot in Thursday's CAA loss to Virginia Commonwealth University.

Early in the season, coach Kenny Brooks knew his team's inexperience would give it trouble finishing off opponents toward the end of games. But, with the Dukes' current losing slide, the trend has continued.

"It's frustrating because it's Game 19," Brooks said after JMU's 76-67 loss to Virginia Commonwealth University Thursday. "We have to be smarter."

Brooks said his team needs to learn how to put a full 40 minutes of good basketball together instead of 32 or 33 minutes.

Through the VCU game, in five of the Dukes' last four games, JMU has let its lead slip away late in the second half. The only win over that stretch was 53-51 against Norfolk State University Jan. 19, in which freshman forward/center Meredith Alexis hit the game winner with 3.1 seconds left. JMU had been ahead by 12 points in the second half.

In three of those last four games, JMU lost leads of 10 points to the College of William & Mary, 11 points to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and 11 points to VCU. The other loss during that stretch was a 48-37 home loss to Hofstra University, in which the Dukes shot a dismal 9.7 percent in the first half. JMU also set a school record low for worst overall field goal accuracy (19 percent).

"We are not as confident as we were two weeks ago," Brooks said.

He also questioned his team's chemistry, saying that the team isn't gelling as it did two weeks ago.

Against VCU, the Dukes dominated the Rams early by going inside. However, once VCU closed the doors inside, JMU could not find its range from the perimeter.

VCU's defense shut down JMU's shooters, something Rams coach Beth Cunningham said was her team's focus.

"We knew that is where a lot of their points were coming from — from [freshman forward Lesley] Dickinson and some of their other shooters," Cunningham said.

Meanwhile, VCU's Cyndy Wilks led a barrage of three-point shots that allowed the Rams to take the lead for good.

Dickinson said the Dukes did a good job of raising the intensity early, but not in the second half.

"We had some mental lapses, defensive lapses and not taking care of the ball," Dickinson said. "I don't think we did too good of a job sustaining the intensity. In the end, I think we brought it up a little bit, but it was too little, too late.

"I think we really need to work on being consistent with the intensity the whole way through," she added.

Brooks said he doesn't think his team is regressing from earlier in the season.

"Maybe we are not taking as giant steps as they did earlier in the season," he said.

The Dukes' thin roster is one of the problems, according to Brooks. Red-shirt junior guard Mary Beth Culbertson has been out of the Dukes' lineup since Jan. 19.

"There is no doubt that we miss Mary Beth," Brooks said. "She was playing the best basketball of her career."

Red-shirt senior guard Jody LeRose just returned to the lineup Jan. 22 against UNC-W for the first time since early in the month.

JMU has slipped into ninth place in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 2-6 record in conference play (Sunday's results against the University of Delaware were not available at press time). Yet, the Dukes think they have a chance in the CAA Tournament.

"Our record doesn't reflect how good of a team we are," Dickinson said last week.