JMU Defends CAA Championship

3/15/2015 4:05:37 PM

Kelly McCarthy

BOXSCORE | CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (March 15, 2015) – Top-seeded James Madison University successfully defended its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Basketball Championship and punched its ticket to the 2015 NCAA Tournament with a 62-56 win over third-seeded Hofstra University this afternoon at the Show Place Arena.

James Madison (29-3) was led by Jazmon Gwathmey, who posted 17 points and 11 rebounds, en route to being named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Senior Toia Giggetts was the only other Duke in double digits, adding 14 points to help James Madison win its eighth CAA Championship.

Hofstra (20-12) received 16 points from Kelly Loftus while sophomore Elo Edeferioka posted 11 points and 11 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Anjie White chipped in with 11 points and eight boards.

Much of the early going was a close battle with both teams trading baskets to start. JMU began to pull away midway through the half, opening up a 10-6 lead on a bucket by Lauren Okafor. Hofstra cut it to 10-8 on a lay-up by White at 11:54 but the Dukes countered with a 6-0 run over the next four minutes.

A pair of free throws by Edeferioka stopped the run at 7:02 and jump-started a 7-2 run for the Pride as they cut the gap to 18-16 with just under four minutes left in the half. After a steal on the defensive end, Kelly Loftus found a wide-open Jakelle King-Gilchrist who tucked in a lay-up to tie the game, 18-18, at the 3:24 mark. King-Gilchrist returned the lead to the Pride, 21-20, at 1:38 with a jumper from the corner. After exchanging buckets, James Madison got the advantage heading into the break after a jumper by Da’lishia Griffin with 26 seconds left set the score at 24-23.

The Dukes came out strong in the second half, starting the stanza with a 9-3 run to open up a 33-25 advantage. Trailing 37-28, Hofstra went on a 6-0 run to make it a three-point game. JMU built its lead back up to five points, but Hofstra surged back as a Loftus banged home a three-pointer and followed that up with a jumper to pull the Pride within 41-40.

With 8:59 left on the clock, White hit a pair of free throws to put Hofstra back on top, 42-41. The Dukes answered with a 9-2 run to regain the lead. The Pride continued to chip away, pulling within 53-50 on a lay-up by Loftus with 2:44 left to play. Gwathmey answered with a three-pointer 38 seconds later while pair of free throws by Hall returned the lead to eight points, 58-50, with 52 seconds remaining. Loftus hit another three-pointer to make it a five-point game with 38 seconds remaining, but James Madison was able to hold on for the win.

Hall finished with nine points, including a 7-for-7 effort from the free throw line, and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Joining Hall and Gwathmey on the CAA Championship All-Tournament Team were teammate Lauren Okafor, Hofstra’s Krystal Luciano and Edeferioka, and Delaware’s Courtni Green.

The Dukes will only have to wait one day to learn their postseason tournament fate as the NCAA Selection Show will be held on Monday, March 16 at 7pm live on ESPN.