HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant first-half performance, the James Madison Dukes used a stifling defensive effort to build an insurmountable lead and cruised to a 72-56 victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday night at a raucous JMU Convocation Center.

A crowd of 2,349 watched the Dukes, now 23-8, overwhelm the visiting Chanticleers early, holding Coastal Carolina to a frigid 7-for-29 shooting performance in the first half. James Madison’s 43-18 halftime advantage proved too deep a hole for Coastal Carolina, which fell to 14-17 despite a valiant second-half effort.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the second quarter, where James Madison transformed a competitive contest into a runaway. Leading 17-7 after a low-scoring first period, the Dukes erupted for 26 points in the second quarter while clamping down defensively to limit Coastal Carolina to just 11. This 26-11 frame, a 15-point differential, established the game’s decisive margin. The Dukes’ defense forced eight first-half turnovers and contested nearly every shot, with the Chanticleers managing only 24.1% from the field before the break.

James Madison was led by the stellar play of Ashanti Barnes, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Norfolk, Virginia. Barnes dominated at both ends, scoring a game-high 29 points on efficient interior shooting, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out five assists. She also recorded two steals as part of a disruptive James Madison defense. Her backcourt partner, Bree Robinson of Mississauga, Canada, provided crucial support with 18 points and five assists, orchestrating the offense and hitting key shots.

Coastal Carolina’s offense ran almost exclusively through Tracey Hueston. The 6-foot-2 sophomore from Roanoke, Virginia, delivered a heroic individual performance, scoring 30 points and pulling down eight rebounds in 33 minutes. She attacked the basket relentlessly, drawing fouls and converting 10 of 12 free throws. Kinsea Grimes of Mansfield, Texas, added 16 points for the Chanticleers, but the rest of the team combined for only 10 points on a collective 3-of-30 shooting from the field.

Despite the lopsided score for much of the game, Coastal Carolina displayed resilience after halftime. The Chanticleers won the third quarter 22-20 and the fourth quarter 16-9, outscoring James Madison 38-29 in the second half. They improved their shooting dramatically after the break and forced the Dukes into a more passive offensive stance. However, the first-half deficit was simply too large to overcome.

Statistically, the game was won on efficiency. While both teams had 77 possessions, James Madison’s offensive rating of 93.9 dwarfed Coastal Carolina’s 72.3. The Dukes shot 39.4% from the field compared to the Chanticleers’ 27.1%. James Madison also won the battle on the glass, securing 11 offensive rebounds to Coastal Carolina’s seven, and committed only 10 turnovers against 15 for the visitors.

The victory continues a strong late-season run for James Madison, which has now won five straight games. For Coastal Carolina, the loss halts the momentum from a thrilling overtime win at Georgia State earlier in the week. The teams had met earlier this season on Dec. 17, with James Madison also securing a narrow 71-68 win in Conway, South Carolina.

Friday’s result was largely in line with pregame analytics, which heavily favored the Dukes at home. James Madison executed its game plan flawlessly in the first half, leveraging its defensive pressure and Barnes’ offensive versatility to seize control. While Coastal Carolina’s second-half push provided a glimpse of its capability, the early struggles, particularly during the pivotal second-quarter onslaught by the Dukes, ultimately decided the contest.