James Madison men’s basketball moved to 14-0 on Thursday night with a hard-fought win over a strong Louisiana-Lafayette team on the road. The Dukes, who knocked of the Michigan State Spartans to open the season, are playing really good ball and continue to be resilient in battling back during games where they might fall behind early.
They’re also playing with a chip on their shoulder. James Madison has some swagger!
However, that edge boiled over into a kerfuffle during the post-game handshake with the Ragin’ Cajuns. There was some pushing and shoving between the two sides.
6-foot-6, 215-pound Dukes forward Raekwon Horton was especially heated and had to be restrained.
Things got a little chippy after the game.👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/2K2yUzxqx6
— Ragin Review (@RaginReview) January 5, 2024
According to UL head coach Bob Marlin, the dust-up was entirely on the visitors.
I know (James Madison) was chippy in the handshake line. They were talking a little bit and it appeared like one of their players who was in street clothes began cursing. That’s when our guys rallied and ran out, but I’m not sure exactly what happened.
— Bob Marlin
The incident spilled out from the scorer’s table onto the court and came to a conclusion under the hoop. Staffers on both sides had to break things up. Fortunately, they were able to do so before a punch was thrown.
One administrator actually credited the nearby journalists for keeping things tame by filming. It could have been much worse if there wasn’t a camera on the incident to ensure that it would go viral.
Although James Madison and Louisiana-Lafayette were eventually separated. As the Dukes walked off of the court back into the tunnel, one of their players or assistants (it appeared to be the former) kicked a trash can out of frustration.
James Madison head coach Mark Byington was quick to move on.
It’s a big win, but it’s already behind us. We are moving on to Southern Miss and we know they’re going to be tough. Last year we were in this boat with a hard-fought win and then facing Southern Miss. We know it’s going to be another tough one Saturday.
— Mark Byington
Don’t let the Dukes stay hot! The No. 19-ranked college basketball team in the country continues to put opponents away during the early season. If they can continue this run, they are on a fast track to the NCAA Tournament.
James Madison’s hype quieted down some during the non-conference schedule, but it is going to be hard not to discuss this run if it continues!