MONROE, La. (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, the James Madison women’s basketball team weathered a furious second-half rally from Louisiana-Monroe to secure a 72-68 victory on Thursday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

The Dukes, who led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, saw that advantage evaporate completely in the fourth before making the necessary plays in the final minutes to escape with the win. The victory improved James Madison to 14-7 on the season, while Louisiana-Monroe fell to 8-10.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the final 40 seconds with the outcome hanging in the balance. Trailing 68-66, James Madison’s Peyton McDaniel missed a three-pointer, but secured her own offensive rebound to extend the possession. On the ensuing play, Bree Robinson was fouled by Asjah Inniss with five seconds remaining. Robinson, a guard from Mississauga, Canada, calmly sank both free throws to tie the game.

On the inbound play, Louisiana-Monroe’s Jazmine Jackson was called for a foul, sending McDaniel back to the line with five seconds still on the clock. McDaniel made the first free throw to give James Madison a one-point lead. After a Warhawks timeout, McDaniel missed the second attempt, but again came up with a crucial offensive rebound. She was immediately fouled by Kamille Brown.

McDaniel returned to the line and made both free throws, pushing the lead to three points. Louisiana-Monroe’s final attempt, a desperation three-pointer by Brown as time expired, missed the mark, sealing the hard-fought win for the visiting Dukes.

The game’s conclusion capped a night of dramatic momentum swings. James Madison started slowly, trailing 16-11 after a first quarter plagued by turnovers. The Dukes settled in during the second period, outscoring the Warhawks 20-13 to take a 31-29 lead into halftime.

James Madison then exploded out of the locker room, opening the third quarter on a 14-4 run to build its largest lead at 45-33. The surge was fueled by McDaniel and Ashanti Barnes, who combined for 38 points. McDaniel, a junior from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, finished with a game-high 21 points, while Barnes, a forward from Norfolk, Virginia, added 17 points, four assists and a block.

Louisiana-Monroe refused to fold. The Warhawks closed the third quarter strong and carried that energy into the fourth, eventually tying the game at 59-59 on a Marcavia Shavers layup with just over seven minutes to play. The teams traded leads six times in the final period, setting the stage for the tense finish.

The Warhawks were led by a balanced scoring attack, with five players reaching double figures. Nakiyah Mays-Prince, a guard from Chicago, orchestrated the offense with 14 points and six assists. Keshunti Nichols of Pearl, Mississippi, added 11 points and two blocks, while Asia Barclay (Anniston, Alabama), Jazmine Jackson (Jacksonville, Florida) and Marcavia Shavers (Biloxi, Mississippi) each contributed 10 points.

Statistically, the game was a battle of attrition. Both teams struggled with ball security, combining for 34 turnovers. James Madison’s ability to get to the free-throw line proved decisive; the Dukes attempted 31 free throws, making 21, compared to Louisiana-Monroe’s 22 attempts and 16 makes. James Madison also held a significant edge in field goal percentage, shooting 45% from the floor while limiting the Warhawks to 36% shooting.

Defensively, James Madison’s eight steals, led by three from Robinson, helped offset its own turnover issues. The Dukes also won the rebounding battle 38-35, with the offensive glass proving vital in the closing seconds.

The game drew an attendance of 1,167 to Fant-Ewing Coliseum. According to Interstat’s ELO system, James Madison entered the contest with an 89.90 percent probability to win.

James Madison will look to build on the road victory when it travels to face Arkansas State on Saturday. Louisiana-Monroe aims to rebound at home against Marshall on the same day.