James Madison Dukes
13Duke Blue Devils
On Sunday, March 24th at 5:15 PM EDT, CBS will air.

NEW YORK

The Dukes, a team consisting of multiple members, caused a stir among New York fans on Friday by defeating Wisconsin with a score of 72-61. This marked the first time in this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament that a 12th seed team upset a 5th seed team. Player Xavier Brown proudly exclaimed that it was not an upset as he proudly displayed his jersey during the team’s celebratory moment with their teammates and in front of an enthusiastic JMU family section at Barclays Center.

The Dukes, with a record of 32-3, will have another opportunity to demonstrate their skills on Sunday as they take on Duke University’s Blue Devils. This will mark their first encounter.

Coach Jon Scheyer of Duke acknowledged the swift turnaround for the teams, with their game set to start at 5:15 p.m. on CBS.

The Blue Devils, seeded 4th, are familiar with the obstacles that come with having a reputation as a top national team and a storied basketball program.

Tyrese Proctor stated that he believes the competition is between everyone and Duke, particularly when playing on away or neutral grounds.

According to Scheyer, the excitement of competing in the NCAA Tournament includes competing in front of a packed and passionate audience. While some may be rooting for your success, others may not want you to win. This is a familiar scenario for us and we are prepared for it.

“When you are a part of Duke, whether as a coach or a player, it means you will be subject to criticism. This is simply a part of the experience.”

Being the perceived weaker team, James Madison can draw strength from their fan base. During Friday’s game, the audience chanted “J-M-U” as if they were in their home arena, the Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

The Dukes have the added assurance of a 14-game winning streak, which is currently the longest in the country. The only team to match their number of victories this season is top-ranked and defending national champion, UConn.

It doesn’t make a difference once the ball is in play.

According to Scheyer, we were defeated in our initial two away games of the season. However, we have since excelled in games played on neutral ground. Often, these could still feel like away games, providing extra motivation for our team.

He and his team members reached a common understanding that the outcome of the game will depend on their defensive efforts.

According to Scheyer, your progress in this tournament is determined by your defense, not your offense.

Regarding JMU, Proctor mentioned, “Their style is to make the game fast-paced and disrupt the opponent’s defense… They prefer to attack aggressively. I believe that if we can remain focused and maintain our discipline, our defense will continue to perform well.”

Source: wralsportsfan.com