McDaniel, James Madison fall in Sun Belt finale
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Twin Valley grad Peyton McDaniel scored 20 points and James Madison stormed back from a late 10-point deficit but couldn’t overcome Marshall in overtime, falling in the Sun Belt Conference championship game 95-92 Monday at Pensacola, Fla.
The loss likely ends the season for James Madison (23-11), which is not expected to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.
McDaniel, a redshirt sophomore, had nine rebounds to go with her 11th 20-point game of the season. She earned all-tournament team honors for the second straight year.
McDaniel, who played in all 34 games for the Dukes, leads the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game. She led the team in 3-point shooting percentage (34.7) and in rebounds with 241 (7.1) and was second in free throwing shooting (80.0 percent).
Hevynn Bristow led James Madison with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
The Dukes trailed 68-60 with less than five minutes to play but closed the gap with eight straight in a minute span, tying the game at 68-all with 3:56 to go. JMU led 74-73 before Meredith Maier hit a jumper and Abby Beeman knocked down a free throw for a 76-74 advantage with 16 seconds left.
Annalicia Goodman’s pair of free throws with 6.6 left tied the game and Marshall missed a three at the buzzer to force overtime. In the extra period, JMU took an 85-83 lead on a Bristow jumper with 2:37 to play, but a Hayes three and pair of CC Mays free throws put Marshall up 88-85 with less than two to go.
Down 90-88 with less than a minute remaining in OT, a Hayes jumper doubled the lead and JMU would not convert another field goal until the final horn to give Marshall the title.
