Tag: James Madison Dukes

North Carolina paid James Madison $10k per point scored in Tar Heels’ blowout loss

North Carolina paying $10,000 per point in a 20-point loss isn’t great.

Surely this Week 4 Saturday played out differently for North Carolina when the Tar Heels envisioned it ahead of time. Because it was bad.

James Madison rolled into Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill on Saturday and hung 53 points on North Carolina after the first half to go on to win in dominant fashion, 70-50. Though, clearly defense was lacking on both sides.

The kicker: The Tar Heels paid the Dukes $700,000 to inflict this kind of damage to them, according to USA TODAY Sports‘ Steve Berkowitz. That’s a lot of money to lose so badly you spark jokes about mercy rules and running clocks.

Sure, this happens fairly often where an underdog team gets paid a few grand to beat the favorite, like Notre Dame paying $1.4 million to get upset by Northern Illinois. Just last week, Florida State paid $1.3 million to lose to Memphis and Mississippi State paid Toledo $1.2 million to lose to the Rockets, Berkowitz reported.

As the Associated Press notes:

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research.

In this instance, a James Madison win is less of a surprise than the scoring margin. The Dukes have been on the rise as one of the newer FBS teams, finishing 8-3 in 2022 and 11-2 in 2023. And now they’re 3-0, despite losing their coach and multiple players to Indiana.

So we have a new take on these payouts, and in honor of this incredible lop-sided Dukes win — they entered as 11-point underdogs on the road — here’s how that $700,000 breaks down in terms of game stats.

1. North Carolina paid $10,000 per point James Madison scored against the Tar Heels

https://twitter.com/JMUFootball/status/1837543559165366560

Yeah, this is the big one, and if North Carolina’s defense existed, each point would probably be worth more.

2. North Carolina paid about $1,149 per yard allowed against James Madison

Eh, that doesn’t seem that bad, but that’s because 609 yards is outrageous. The Tar Heels, for what it’s worth, also racked up 616 yards, which breaks down to about $1,136 per yard they gained while still losing.

3. North Carolina paid about $23,333 per each of its 30 first downs, which was more than the Dukes

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 21: Alonza Barnett III #14 celebrates with Tanner Morris #58 of the James Madison Dukes after throwing for a touchdown against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of the game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The Tar Heels earned five more first downs than James Madison but still lost. Not great.

4. North Carolina paid $140,000 per turnover to James Madison

Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes safety Kye Holmes (12) and defensive lineman Immanuel Bush (15) react after the Dukes recover a fumble in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina turned the ball over five times compared with James Madison’s one. A turnover margin that big isn’t going to win games.

5. North Carolina paid James Madison about $58,333 per Dukes penalty

James Madison finished with 12 penalties for 105 yards, notably more than the Tar Heels’ eight for 71 yards. Those are some expensive penalties.

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North Carolina football allows 70 points in record-setting blowout loss to James Madison

James Madison handed UNC football its first loss of the season on Saturday after a historic 70-point performance.

The North Carolina Tar Heels didn’t just lose to James Madison at home on Saturday. They lost in historic fashion, giving up more than 600 yards of total offense in a 70-50 loss.

The Dukes blitzed out of the gates with 53 points in the first half. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III found the end zone five times (three passing, two rushing) before halftime, and James Madison also returned a blocked punt and an interception to the end zone to break the game apart before most of the crowd in Chapel Hill had even settled down.

Barnett finished with 487 total yards of offense for the game, averaging 11.4 yards per pass attempt and 7.6 yards per rushing attempt with seven total touchdowns. Two different James Madison wideouts finished with 100 yards, and all five of Barnett’s passing touchdowns went to different players.

The Tar Heels still managed 616 yards of offense themselves, but five turnovers doomed UNC’s chances of staying undefeated. Quarterback Jacolby Criswell, the third starter in four games for the Tar Heels, ended up with 475 yards and three touchdowns but two interceptions.

Duke football fans don’t need to wait long to take advantage of a vulnerable North Carolina team. The Tar Heels come to Durham for the first ACC game of the year next Saturday.

James Madison mauls North Carolina for 53 points in the first half

James Madison was shocking North Carolina in Chapel Hill

It isn’t a basketball score. Although with James Madison entering Saturday a double-digit underdog at North Carolina, the Dukes’ point total seems like one.

The Sun Belt powerhouse was in Chapel Hill and was destroying Mack Brown’s Tar Heels.

How about James Madison 53, North Carolina 21 … at the half.

The Dukes jumped to an 11-0 lead, fell behind 14-11 and scored 42 of the next 49 points before the break.

James Madison entered 2-0; North Carolina was 3-0.

Quarterback Alonza Barrett III threw three TD passes in the first half. He also rushed for two scores.

JMU had two receivers over the 100-yard mark in the first 30 minutes.

James Madison had 418 yards of total offense in the first half; North Carolina had 311 but the Tar Heels had four turnovers.

In case you are wondering, James Madison was paid $500,000 to play at Chapel Hill.

 

 

James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III deserves Emmy for bad acting

Push came to shove for James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III

The late, great wrestling star Eddie Guerrero would have been proud of the performance by James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III on Saturday.

Watch as a little shove of Barnett sets the quarterback back off on a tumbling routine that would have made Simone Biles proud (not really).

Barnett was healthy enough to throw two TD passes in the Dukes’ 30-7 win over Charlotte.

Barnett is a communications studies major. He must have a minor in theatre, acting or drama, too.

As for the late, great Guerrero, who could forget this:

Vanderbilt lands power hitting infielder from James Madison in transfer portal

James Madison second baseman Mike Mancini committed to the Vanderbilt Commodores via the transfer portal on Monday.

Vanderbilt is doing their part to keep up in the loaded SEC, snagging a commitment from second baseman Mike Mancini out of James Madison in the transfer portal on Monday.

Mancini exploded as a sophomore for the Dukes this past season, slashing .329/.419/.587 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. He was the 70th ranked player in the transfer portal according to 64 Analytics.

Mancini is perhaps most known for hitting a combined four home runs on one day against South Carolina and NC State in the Raleigh Regional this past season.

The 20-year-old also hit well in the Appalachian League in 2023 – slashing .318/.438/.424 – although he is struggling a bit with Orleans in the Cape Cod League this summer.

Vanderbilt has solid infield depth but was lacking power and speed in a big way last season, and in an extremely deep SEC that resulted in a 13-17 record in conference play and a fourth place finish in the East behind Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia.

Latest Oklahoma offer Makhi Williams-Lee, set to officially visit in June

Oklahoma offers Makhi Williams-Lee out of Atlanta, Georgia.

Oklahoma and [autotag]Todd Bates[/autotag] have been a match made in heaven on the recruiting trail. Last year’s defensive line haul was lauded publicly by many media pundits for its depth, versatility, upside, and star power.

The class of 2025 may not be nearly as deep nationwide, but there is still help to be found in the nooks and crannies of the recruiting world.

Oklahoma offered a seemingly unknown commodity in Makhi Williams-Lee, and by all accounts, he may be a late bloomer and someone who could go under the radar and end up being a steal down the road.

He’s not ranked on any site, but it’s clear Bates sees something there to offer him.

He’s a 6-foot-2, 270-pound defensive lineman out of Atlanta, Georgia. He plays his high school ball at Lakeside High School. His junior season saw him amass 77 tackles, 22 of which were for losses. He had ten sacks, four quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries.

His offer list is sparse, and the Sooners are far and away the most prominent offer he has. NC State, Texas Tech, and James Madison are a few of the other schools that are in pursuit.

With the announcement of his offer, Williams-Lee announced he would be taking an official visit to Norman on the weekend of June 14. That weekend is becoming a pivotal moment for Sooners in the 2025 recruiting class as a number of other commits are planning to be in town.

While the offer list isn’t overwhelming, Williams-Lee has some admirable explosive traits and a frame that could hold 300 pounds or more. He may not be depended on to start day one if he were to commit and become a Sooner. Still, he’s the type of player that Oklahoma could let work in the weight room and see how he develops after a few offseasons in Jerry Schmidt’s hands, alongside getting coached up by Bates.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on X @thatmanbryant.

Three keys to a Duke win versus Houston in the Sweet 16

Duke’s methodical offense and ability to handle Houston’s air-tight ball-trapping defense defense is a major key to winning this game.

The time continues to dwindle as we get closer and closer to Duke tipping off in Dallas to take on the Houston Cougars for the right to move on to the Elite Eight.

Duke’s journey this year has been up and down, but after an unfortunate blip of back-to-back losses right before the NCAA Tournament started, the momentum did not seem to favor the Blue Devils.

Yet, here we are after Duke dominated the tournament’s first two games and cruised to Dallas. Things won’t be nearly as easy on Friday night against Houston. The Cougars are tough, physical, and tested. Two-way guard Jamal Shead, Houston’s star player, will be playing in his 15th NCAA Tournament game on Friday evening. Kelvin Sampson has had a terrific tenure coaching this program, and he brings years of NCAA Tournament experience.

Duke will have its hands full. However, Houston can be beat. With that said, here are three keys to a Duke win.

Quick decisions are essential.

Houston runs a highly effective defense predicated on trapping the ball in the pick-and-roll. It blitzes ball-handlers and forces them to make lightning-quick decisions and passes that many teams at the college level can’t make or are too slow to make, thus leading to turnovers and rushed offensive sets.

When you look at the Cougars’ defense, they are No. 2 in effective field goal percentage (44%), block rate (16.1%), and steal rate (15.5%). They are also within the top five in turnover percentage (24.7%) and 2-point defense (43.4 %) and they hold teams under 30 percent from three.

In other words, they are stout defensively. However, opponents have a shot if they can swing the ball and break the trap down off the dribble. Jeremy Roach has dominated the ball in the tournament thus far, sliding into a more conventional PG role like he did in the last few NCAA Tournaments. He must be decisive, make the right reads, and get the ball out so Duke can swing it, attack open gaps, or use numbers to their advantage when applicable.

If the ball sticks, Duke will be in trouble, generating offense. Luckily, Duke has found its rhythm in sharing the ball in the tournament. 22 assists on 33 made field goals against James Madison in the second round certainly helps. They may not make nearly as many baskets, but a similar ratio would likely mean they’ve been able to break down Houston’s defense.

Shoot, shoot, shoot

There are going to be plenty of 3-point opportunities available come Friday night. Duke needs to be ready to hit them. They shot the cover off the ball against JMU in their last game. Jared McCain had eight threes. It’s unlikely Houston will allow the number of open looks that JMU did, but for the ones they do, Duke has to cash in on them.

Per Synergy Sports, Houston is in the 98th percentile in spot-up points allowed per possession at an incredibly high rate (27% of defensive possessions.) In other words, McCain and Tyrese Proctor have to have good days like they did Sunday shooting the ball. The issue is that Houston plays such a hellacious defense that they will contest everything. Duke needs an inspired shooting performance like they had in the second round, or at least 40% in comparison to the 50% they were at against the Dukes.

Toughness wins

You would be hard-pressed to find a tougher team than the Houston Cougars. They play hard physically; if you are mentally and physically unprepared, things can spiral quickly. Duke’s knock this year is that they are soft. That has been the narrative all season long. Both games against UNC showcased that, as did their early loss to Arkansas.

Duke will be run out of the gym if it is not mentally and physically ready to battle this Houston team. In the aftermath of the JMU game, players and coaches talked about how the message preached was to throw the first punch. Come out and attack them. Set the tone on both court ends and let them know you’re here. That same message applies here.

Houston may not be nearly as dynamic offensively as the Tar Heels, but they are even better defensively, and both games against North Carolina did no favors for Duke. Duke is 18th in effective field-goal percentage. They can score with the best of them, but this is different. Duke hasn’t beaten a higher-ranked seed in 30 years. To win this game, they must showcase what they have been missing all year.

Where does Andy Katz rank Duke among remaining Sweet 16 teams?

College basketball reporter Andy Katz ranked the last 16 teams standing in the men’s NCAA Tournament on Monday. Where did he put the Blue Devils?

College basketball reporter Andy Katz revealed his ranking of the final 16 teams standing in the NCAA Tournament this year, and the Blue Devils came in right in the middle at eighth.

Katz revealed the rankings on Monday, and his power rankings included some bold takes. The Blue Devils are above Iowa State, a No. 2 seed, and 3-seed Illinois is his fourth-ranked team remaining.

Duke has excelled through two games of the tournament, pulling away from Vermont late for a 64-47 win before throttling James Madison for a 93-55 blowout in the second round.

Houston, Duke’s second-round opponent, spent much of the season atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, and the Cougars have only lost four games. However, Katz is lower on them than most, dropping Houston to his fifth-ranked team left in the field despite their status as a No. 1 seed.

Connecticut, the defending national champions, remains the team to beat in Katz’s eyes, followed by Purdue and North Carolina.

NC State, the ACC Tournament champions, sat at the bottom of the ranking. The Wolfpack, an 11-seed, are also the lone double-digit seed remaining. San Diego State, Clemson, and Gonzaga also fell in Katz’s bottom four.

Viral video shows Jared McCain in class one day after 30-point tournament game

A TikTok from Duke women’s lacrosse player Reagan Digby showed Jared McCain and Christian Reeves in their seats for class the day after James Madison win.

Jared McCain isn’t just dedicated on the court.

The Duke freshman dropped 30 points in his second career NCAA Tournament game on Sunday, making eight 3-pointers to set a Blue Devils tournament record. He went 6/6 from long range to open the game, his second 20-point first half of the season, and the Blue Devils won 93-55.

The next day? He still had a class to attend.

Duke lacrosse player Reagan Digby posted a TikTok on Monday asking her fellow students if the basketball players in their class would appear one day removed from the second-round win.

The results were mixed among the students, but there were more doubters than not. Seven of the 10 people in the video said they didn’t expect their athletic classmates to show up.

Sure enough, however, McCain and teammate Christian Reeves were in their seats for the class.

@stylebyreagan

@Jaredmccain24 @Christian Reeves are putting the STUDENT in student athlete #marchmadness #dukembb #dukestudents

♬ original sound – stylebyreagan

The team returned from Brooklyn on Sunday night, but with the game ending after 7:00 p.m., it might be a stretch to say either player got a full night of sleep.

Digby’s original video has more than 140,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.

Duke’s Jared McCain listed as one of USA TODAY Sports’ March Madness winners

Jared McCain was named one of March Madness’s big winners by USA TODAY Sports after his performance against James Madison.

After a record-breaking performance against James Madison, Jared McCain was named one of the winners of March Madness in a Monday column from USA TODAY Sports’ Jordan Mendoza.

The James Madison Dukes had a top-five perimeter defense, per KenPom, heading into their second-round matchup against the Duke Blue Devils, allowing opponents to connect on less than 30% of their 3-point attempts. That didn’t phase McCain, who lit up the Dukes for eight 3-pointers.

His eight triples were the most 3-point field goals made by a Duke player in an NCAA Tournament game. In fact, McCain broke the freshman record for threes in an NCAA Tournament game before the first half ended, making each of his first six attempts.

He finished the game with 30 points on 10-15 shooting overall and 8-11 from beyond the arc.

His performance powered Duke into the Sweet 16. They’ll take on the 1-seed Houston Cougars on Friday night.