HOFSTRA LOOKS TO CONTINUE MASTERY OF JMU WEDNESDAY

2/2/2010 12:00:00 AM

Hempstead, NY - Hofstra will look to extend its 10-game winning streak in the series with James Madison when it travels to Harrisonburg for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday evening.

James Madison swept the season series from Hofstra in the Pride's first two seasons in the league (2001-02, 2002-03), but the Pride has not lost to the Dukes since, winning the last 10 match-ups between the schools. It has not been easy, though, as several of the games came right down to the wire, including each of the last four.

A year ago, Hofstra won the first match-up 69-68 in Harrisonburg when current junior guard Charles Jenkins (Queens, NY) went coast-to-coast to score on a runner in the paint with 1.9 seconds left after former forward Juwann James hit two foul shots to put the Dukes in front. It was eerily similar to the previous meeting in Harrisonburg the year before, when former guard Antoine Agudio went coast-to-coast for the winning jumper with nine seconds left in the Pride's 86-85 win (Agudio then stole the ball on JMU's ensuing possession to seal the one-point victory).

In the rematch last season in Hempstead, Hofstra prevailed in a wild 99-96 double-overtime contest. James Madison had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but James had his short jumper blocked by graduated senior forward Darren Townes. The Dukes then came back from five points down in the final minute of the first overtime behind two baskets from current sophomore guard Julius Wells, and took a three-point lead twice in the second overtime. However, graduated guard Zygis Sestokas knocked down three straight three-pointers to put the Pride ahead to stay. Wells hit two three-pointers in the closing seconds to give the Dukes a chance, but the Pride held on as walk-on Scooter Renkin's three-pointer at the buzzer fell short.

Jenkins finished with 32 points and 13 assists in that game, the highest assist total for a Hofstra player since Speedy Claxton also had 13 in a game in the 1997-98 season. Wells, meanwhile, had 31 points for the Dukes, which had six players in double figures but still lost. Current junior guard Nathaniel Lester (Brooklyn, NY) chipped in with 21 points and 11 rebounds for Hofstra, while Sestokas finished with 19 points.

Remarkably, the double-overtime win wasn't even the longest game in the recent series with JMU, as the Pride also won a triple-overtime game at home against the Dukes in 2004-05 by a 95-88 final. Hofstra did have one lopsided win (98-78) at the JMU Convocation Center in the regular season finale in 2006-07, but the Pride's other four wins in Harrisonburg have been by three points (69-66 in 2003-04), three points (78-75 in 2004-05), one point (86-85 in 2007-08) and one point (69-68 last season). Hofstra also won a 66-60 game at home in 2007-08 in which Abdulai Jalloh missed a tying three-pointer for the Dukes with five seconds left.

This year's contest will feature several new key players for both teams, though, rendering previous Hofstra wins less meaningful. The Dukes are led by junior forward Denzel Bowles, who became eligibile midseason this year after transferring from Texas A&M. Bowles averages 21.0 points and 9.9 rebounds, which would lead the CAA in both categories if he had played in enough games to qualify. Wells averages 16.9 points, while freshman guard Darren White is barely shy of double figures at 9.9 points per game.

Hofstra has three players averaging in double figures in conference games, and two of them are freshmen. Jenkins, who shared the CAA Player of the Week with Bowles this week, leads the way with 18.8 points in CAA contests. Freshman guard Chaz Williams (Brooklyn, NY), who earned the CAA Rookie of the Week honor, averages 11.9 points per league contest, and freshman forward Halil Kanacevic averages an even 10.0.

Junior forward Greg Washington (Centereach, NY) has a chance to further add his name to the Hofstra record books in blocked shots. He tied the school record for blocks in a game last Wednesday against UNC Wilmington with 10, and heads to James Madison five shy of the school record for a career with 173 and six shy of his own record for a season with 62.

The action can be seen and heard on the internet by signing up for the PrideZone at GoHofstra.com.

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