The James Madison Dukes shocked the world in their season-opener game earlier this week, defeating No. 4 ranked Michigan State. Their second game of the year on Thursday was equally as shocking, but for an entirely different reason.
Simply put, it looked like JMU was dead to rights in their matchup against Kent State on Thursday night. They trailed 89-85 to Kent State with just 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
Looking to cut into the lead, JMU opted to throw a full-court inbound pass, which miraculously worked leading to a three-point shot from Noah Freidel to make it just a two-point game.
Still, all Kent State needed to do was inbound the ball and they would have a chance to ice the game at the free-throw line. Instead, Kent State guard Mike Bekelja was called for an offensive foul on the inbound play as he attempted to get free to receive the pass.
This gave JMU a chance to tie or win the game with just 1.2 seconds left in the game. And they did just that as Freidel was able to get wide open for a layup to tie the game and force overtime.
It was an absurd comeback from the Dukes, and the entire sequence below shows just how improbable it truly was.
Here’s the whole late game sequence in which JMU erased a five-point deficit in 3.8 seconds.
Incredible stuff. pic.twitter.com/6iweCxAZwF
— Brian Rauf (@brauf33) November 10, 2023
Fans took notice of the wild ending to regulation in this game and simply couldn’t believe how JMU came back to send this game to overtime.
JMU FORCES OVERTIME DOWN 5 WITH 4 SECONDS LEFT pic.twitter.com/P47aZP0GMy
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) November 10, 2023
JMU JMU UNBELIEVABLE!!!
FIVE POINTS IN TWO SECONDS TO FORCE OTpic.twitter.com/636otrixNh
— Mid-Major Madness (@mid_madness) November 10, 2023
Game 2. Watch it again. And again. And again.
— Barstool Dukes (@JMUBarstool) November 10, 2023
JMU Basketball trailed this game by 5 points with 3.8 seconds and took it to OT. They then led by 5 with 13 seconds in OT, and went to 2OT. They won that by 5.
The NCAA is *terrified* of this chaotic energy in the football postseason. pic.twitter.com/0v8kQJEAHH
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 10, 2023
ARE YOU SERIOUS JMU!?!
James Madison scored 5 points in 3.8 seconds to force OT.
pic.twitter.com/ikWRH7UYHL— Mark Titus Show (@MarkTitusShow) November 10, 2023
Are the JMU Dukes the most exciting team in the country? pic.twitter.com/5B2bagb0yF
— Mostly Sports With Mark Titus & Brandon Walker (@mostlysports) November 10, 2023
This final sequence was already likely the wildest moment of the college basketball season thus far. But it would get even more insane throughout the rest of the game.
It would go all the way to double overtime, where JMU would go on to defeat Kent State 113-108 to improve to 2-0 on the season.
WHAT STREAK?#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/KTZXWtjvI5
— JMU Men's Basketball (@JMUMBasketball) November 10, 2023
Considering the Dukes’ impressive start to the season in Men’s Basketball and their 9-0 record in football, it is safe to say that it is a great time to be a fan of JMU athletics.
[Brian Rauf on Twitter, Photo Credit: ESPN+]
