HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Dorian Finister scored 18 points, including a decisive 3-pointer at the final buzzer, to lift Louisiana-Lafayette to a 64-61 men’s basketball victory over James Madison on Wednesday night at JMU Convocation Center. The Ragin’ Cajuns, who trailed 32-29 at halftime, outscored the Dukes 35-29 in the second half to secure the road win. Dariyus Woodson added 14 points for Louisiana-Lafayette. James Madison, which shot just 8 for 19 from the free-throw line, was led by Oriekose Egbule with 10 points and four assists. Cliff Davis added 12 points for the Dukes. Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 8-16 overall, while James Madison fell to 11-13. An announced crowd of 4,140 attended the Sun Belt Conference game.

HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Dorian Finister sank a deep 3-pointer with one second remaining to lift Louisiana-Lafayette to a stunning 64-61 victory over James Madison in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a stunned JMU Convocation Center. The Ragin’ Cajuns, who trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half, executed a final play to perfection after James Madison’s Eddie Ricks made one of two free throws to tie the game at 61 with 35 seconds left. Louisiana-Lafayette held for the last shot, and after De’Vion Lavergne’s jumper missed, Dariyus Woodson secured a critical offensive rebound. The ball was kicked out to Jaxon Olvera at the top of the key, who immediately found Finister flaring to the right wing. The 6-foot-5 guard from New Orleans rose and connected on the game-winner over a closing defender, sending the visiting bench into a frenzy. James Madison’s desperation heave from beyond half-court was not close as the final horn sounded, securing a critical road win for the Ragin’ Cajuns and snapping a two-game losing streak for the Dukes. The contest was a defensive struggle defined by poor free-throw shooting and timely perimeter scoring from Louisiana-Lafayette. James Madison dominated inside, outscoring the Cajuns 32-18 in the paint, but crippled its chances by making only 8 of 19 attempts from the foul line. Louisiana-Lafayette, meanwhile, capitalized from deep, hitting 10 of 25 from 3-point range and a efficient 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. Finister led all scorers with 18 points and added three assists in 34 minutes, embodying the clutch performance his team needed. He was supported by Woodson, who scored 14 points off the bench, and Lavergne, who also added 14 points. The trio combined for 46 of the team’s 64 points. James Madison was led by Oriekose Egbule, who filled the stat sheet with 10 points, four assists and two blocks. Cliff Davis added 12 points and three assists, but his backcourt mate struggled from the floor, shooting 4 of 13. The Dukes also were hampered by 10 turnovers, which the Cajuns converted into 11 points. The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw James Madison take a 32-29 lead into the break behind 50% shooting from the field. The Dukes stretched their lead to 42-32 with 11:33 to play in the game after a layup by Eddie Ricks, seemingly taking control. Louisiana-Lafayette responded with a 13-2 run, fueled by two 3-pointers from Woodson and five points from Finister, to take a 45-44 lead with 9:27 remaining. The teams traded blows over the next eight minutes, with neither leading by more than three points, setting the stage for the dramatic finish. With the win, Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 8-16 overall and 4-7 in Sun Belt play. James Madison fell to 11-13 and 5-6 in the conference. The victory was an upset according to pregame metrics, as National Statistical’s ELO system gave James Madison an 84.8% probability to win, and the Dukes had been installed as 8.5-point favorites. The announced attendance was 4,140. Louisiana-Lafayette will look to build on the momentum Saturday when it hosts Central Michigan in non-conference action. James Madison aims to regroup at home against Toledo on Saturday.

HARRISONBURG, Va. (Interstat) — Two Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball teams looking to build momentum will meet Wednesday when the James Madison Dukes host the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns at the JMU Convocation Center. The Dukes (11-12) and Ragin’ Cajuns (7-16) enter with identical 4-6 records in league play, making the matchup a pivot point in the middle of the conference schedule. James Madison seeks to rebound from a 73-65 road loss at Southern Mississippi on Saturday, while Louisiana-Lafayette arrives with confidence after a 69-60 home victory over Georgia Southern the same day. A key matchup will feature two of the Sun Belt’s recent standout performers. James Madison will lean on guard Cliff Davis, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last three games. Davis scored 23 points in a win at Troy on Jan. 29 and followed with 18 points and four rebounds in the loss to Southern Miss. For the Ragin’ Cajuns, forward Jaxon Olvera is coming off one of his best performances of the season. In the win over Georgia Southern, Olvera logged 31 minutes, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Over his last four games, he is averaging 11.5 points and has been a critical piece in Louisiana-Lafayette’s two recent conference wins. The teams have followed similar patterns of inconsistency. James Madison’s three-game winning streak in late January was snapped last weekend. Louisiana-Lafayette has shown flashes, including a two-game win streak last week, but has not won consecutive road games this season. Defensive execution may prove decisive. In its recent wins, Louisiana-Lafayette held opponents under 72 points. James Madison, however, averages 75.2 points per game at home and will test the Ragin’ Cajuns’ defense in a venue where the Dukes are 8-4 this season. Wednesday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the programs this regular season. Following this game, James Madison will host Toledo in non-conference action Saturday, while Louisiana-Lafayette returns home to face Central Michigan the same day.