HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — The James Madison women’s basketball team used a dominant second-quarter surge to seize control and never looked back, cruising to a 74-48 victory over Appalachian State on Saturday at a raucous JMU Convocation Center.

A crowd of 4,690 watched the Dukes improve to 21-8 overall, while the Mountaineers fell to 11-16.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second period. After a competitive first quarter that ended with James Madison leading 16-11, the Dukes unleashed a 22-point quarter, outscoring Appalachian State by 14 to build a 38-27 halftime advantage. The Mountaineers, who shot just 1 for 4 from the free-throw line for the entire game, could not keep pace with James Madison’s efficient offense and disruptive defense.

James Madison’s offensive rating of 108.8 on 68 possessions starkly contrasted with Appalachian State’s rating of 74.0 on 65 possessions, underscoring the Dukes’ superior execution. The Dukes capitalized on Appalachian State’s mistakes, scoring 23 points off 14 Mountaineer turnovers, while the visitors managed only 10 points off 13 James Madison giveaways.

Ashanti Barnes, a 6-foot-2 guard from Norfolk, Virginia, led all scorers with 23 points, adding seven rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. She was instrumental in the second-quarter run and consistently found ways to score inside, helping James Madison to a 34-26 advantage in points in the paint.

Peyton McDaniel provided a formidable double-double for the Dukes, contributing 18 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes. The 6-foot guard from Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, was active on both ends, securing key offensive boards that led to second-chance opportunities.

For Appalachian State, Elena Pericic, a 6-1 guard from Rijeka, Croatia, led the way with 14 points. Feryal Defne Atli, a 6-3 forward from Mersin, Turkey, added 11 points, seven rebounds and a block. The Mountaineers struggled to find consistent offense outside of that duo, shooting 39.6% from the field and failing to reach 50 points.

James Madison’s defensive pressure was a constant theme, tallying 11 steals and forcing Appalachian State into a series of rushed shots and costly errors, particularly during the game-turning second quarter. The Dukes also enjoyed a significant advantage at the charity stripe, making 15 of 19 attempts compared to the Mountaineers’ solitary make on four tries.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for James Madison, which also defeated Appalachian State 60-53 on the road on Feb. 11. The Dukes have now won three straight and seven of their last eight games.

Appalachian State, which has lost two in a row, was led in assists by Emma Smith, who had three to go with her nine points.

James Madison returns to action Wednesday at home against Old Dominion. Appalachian State hosts Georgia Southern on Wednesday.