James Madison Dukes Defeat Georgia State Panthers 80-65
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 3:55 PM ET · GSU Convocation Center
James Madison Dukes 80, Georgia State Panthers 65, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won James Madison Dukes vs Georgia State Panthers?
James Madison Dukes beat Georgia State Panthers 80-65 at GSU Convocation Center on February 21, 2026.
Who was favored in James Madison Dukes vs Georgia State Panthers?
James Madison Dukes were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -135 (about 57% implied). The favorite won.
The James Madison Dukes secured a decisive victory over the Georgia State Panthers, winning 80-65 in a game that showcased their recent strong form. The Dukes have now won their last five games, demonstrating a solid scoring average of 72.6 points per game while allowing 69.8 points over their last ten outings. In contrast, the Panthers have struggled, finishing the season with a record of 10-19 and only managing to win four of their last ten games, averaging 70.4 points scored but allowing 72.3 points.
Playing at the GSU Convocation Center, the Dukes capitalized on their away advantage, improving their away record to 2-2 while the Panthers continued to face challenges at home, finishing with a 3-2 home record in their last five games. The matchup was particularly notable as it marked the fourth consecutive victory for James Madison over Georgia State, having previously defeated them 81-79 just eight days prior on February 13, 2026. The Dukes have now won all three meetings this season and last, with scores of 81-79, 63-83, and 79-86.
The game opened with a competitive atmosphere, but James Madison quickly took control. The Dukes' Justin McBride made a significant impact with a driving layup that pushed their lead to 75-58 in the second half. Georgia State attempted to rally with contributions from Jelani Hamilton, who made a 9-foot floating jump shot and a 26-foot three-point jumper, narrowing the gap to 75-63. However, James Madison maintained their composure, with Cliff Davis adding crucial free throws and a driving layup to solidify their lead at 80-63 before the Panthers responded with a late layup from Micah Tucker.
In terms of injuries, the block did not specify any key players missing from either team, which may have contributed to the Dukes' ability to execute their game plan effectively. The betting market reflected James Madison's strong performance, with DraftKings listing the Dukes as 2.5-point favorites before the game, indicating confidence in their ability to secure a win.
The conditions for the game were typical for a late February evening, with no adverse weather reported, allowing both teams to focus solely on their performance. As the game unfolded, viewers were treated to a display of offensive prowess from the Dukes, who capitalized on their scoring opportunities while the Panthers struggled to keep pace.
Overall, this matchup highlighted the contrasting trajectories of both teams, with James Madison continuing to build momentum as they approach the end of the season, while Georgia State faces the challenge of regrouping after another loss.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | JMU -2.5 | 142.5 o -108 / u -112 | James Madison Dukes -135 · Georgia State Panthers +114 |
Leaders
- PointsMicah Tucker22Georgia State Panthers
- AssistsMalachi Brown3Georgia State Panthers
- ReboundsJelani Hamilton6Georgia State Panthers
- PointsCliff Davis27James Madison Dukes
- AssistsCliff Davis2James Madison Dukes
- ReboundsKose Egbule9James Madison Dukes
Recent form
Georgia State Panthers
Last 10: 4-6Streak W170.4 scored · 72.3 allowed per game3-2 at home
- W66-64vs Georgia Southern EaglesFeb 20
- L55-78at Old Dominion MonarchsFeb 14
- L79-81at James Madison DukesFeb 13
- L74-75vs Northern Illinois HuskiesFeb 7
- L63-74vs Troy TrojansFeb 5
- L67-69at South Alabama JaguarsFeb 1
- L72-82at Louisiana Ragin' CajunsJan 30
- W82-81vs Arkansas State Red WolvesJan 24
- W69-62vs Southern Miss Golden EaglesJan 23
- W77-57at UL Monroe WarhawksJan 17
James Madison Dukes
Last 10: 6-4Streak W472.6 scored · 69.8 allowed per game2-2 away
- W67-65at Coastal Carolina ChanticleersFeb 19
- W69-58vs App State MountaineersFeb 14
- W81-79vs Georgia State PanthersFeb 13
- W73-71vs Toledo RocketsFeb 7
- L61-64vs Louisiana Ragin' CajunsFeb 5
- L65-73at Southern Miss Golden EaglesJan 31
- W73-64at Troy TrojansJan 30
- W82-57vs Texas State BobcatsJan 24
- L83-90vs South Alabama JaguarsJan 23
- L72-77at Marshall Thundering HerdJan 17
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troy | 22-12 | - | 12-6 |
| South Alabama | 21-12 | 1 | 11-7 |
| Arkansas State | 20-12 | 1 | 11-7 |
| Texas State | 19-13 | 1 | 11-7 |
| Marshall | 19-13 | 1 | 11-7 |
| Coastal Carolina | 19-13 | 1 | 11-7 |
| App State | 19-13 | 1 | 11-7 |
| James Madison | 18-15 | 3 | 9-9 |
| Southern Miss | 19-16 | 3 | 9-9 |
| Georgia Southern | 21-16 | 4 | 8-10 |
| Old Dominion | 12-21 | 5 | 7-11 |
| Louisiana | 11-22 | 5 | 7-11 |
| Georgia State | 10-22 | 5 | 7-11 |
| UL Monroe | 4-28 | 11 | 1-17 |
Box score
| Stat | James Madison Dukes | Georgia State Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 31-55 | 22-54 |
| Field goal % | 56 | 41 |
| Three-pointers | 2-15 | 6-16 |
| Three-point % | 13 | 38 |
| Free throws | 16-22 | 15-18 |
| Free throw % | 73 | 83 |
| Rebounds | 37 | 20 |
| Offensive rebounds | 13 | 6 |
| Defensive rebounds | 24 | 14 |
| Assists | 8 | 9 |
| Steals | 9 | 8 |
| Blocks | 1 | 6 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 12 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 19 | 12 |
| Fast-break points | 23 | 6 |
| Points in the paint | 58 | 22 |
| Fouls | 17 | 20 |
| Largest lead | 17 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 99 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half46-33Jelani Hamilton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half46-34Jelani Hamilton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-34Cliff Davis makes 26-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half49-37Jelani Hamilton makes 25-foot three point jumper (Malachi Brown assists)
- 2nd Half51-37Justin McBride makes 6-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half53-37Cliff Davis makes 13-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half53-40Micah Tucker makes 26-foot three point jumper (Malachi Brown assists)
- 2nd Half55-40Gabe Newhof makes layup
- 2nd Half55-42Joah Chappelle makes 12-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half57-42Cliff Davis makes 7-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half57-45Malachi Brown makes 24-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half57-47Micah Tucker makes 17-foot step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half59-47Kose Egbule makes 15-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half59-48Jelani Hamilton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half59-49Jelani Hamilton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half59-50Anthony Enoh makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half61-50Eddie Ricks III makes 12-foot step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half62-50Eddie Ricks III makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half62-52Micah Tucker makes 4-foot step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half64-52Justin McBride makes driving layup
- 2nd Half65-52Gabe Newhof makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half67-52Gabe Newhof makes layup (Cliff Davis assists)
- 2nd Half67-54Jelani Hamilton makes 7-foot pullup jump shot (Micah Tucker assists)
- 2nd Half67-55Jelani Hamilton makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half68-55Kose Egbule makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-55Kose Egbule makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-56Anthony Enoh makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half71-56Gabe Newhof makes layup (Eddie Ricks III assists)
- 2nd Half72-56Kose Egbule makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-56Kose Egbule makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half73-57Micah Tucker makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-58Micah Tucker makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half75-58Justin McBride makes driving layup
- 2nd Half75-60Jelani Hamilton makes 9-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half75-63Jelani Hamilton makes 26-foot three point jumper (Micah Tucker assists)
- 2nd Half76-63Preston Fowler makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-63Cliff Davis makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half78-63Cliff Davis makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half80-63Cliff Davis makes driving layup
- 2nd Half80-65Micah Tucker makes driving layup
Win probability
Above the line favours Georgia State Panthers, below favours James Madison Dukes.
Venue
- GSU Convocation CenterAtlanta, GA
- Attendance1396
- OfficialsSean Casady, Kyle Bowen, RJ Johnson
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