JMU Basketball Team Overcomes 5-Pt Deficit In 4 Sec To Win

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James Madison continues to be the most exciting program in all of college sports. The Dukes are not only 9-0 on the football field, but they’ve now started the basketball season 2-0 with a pair of extraordinary wins.

On Thursday, JMU pulled off an improbable come-from-behind win over Kent State. They overcame a five-point deficit in the final four seconds of regulation to make that comeback possible.

The Dukes already knocked off fourth-ranked Michigan State to open the season, landing a $95,000 payday in the process. Not only do they own the biggest upset of the young season, but they now hold the title of most unlikely win.

Trailing by five points with just 3.8 seconds left in the second half, JMU looked down and out. Kent State sank a pair of free throws to go up by two buckets which would typically seal the game.

In the words of Lee Corse, “Not so fast, my friends.”

James Madison inbounded with a football style pass, hitting an open three-point shooter for a quick score. KSU then committed an offensive foul before its ensuing inbound to give the ball back to the Dukes.

JMU would hit a quick lay in to force overtime.

Here’s the whole late game sequence in which JMU erased a five-point deficit in 3.8 seconds.

Incredible stuff. pic.twitter.com/6iweCxAZwF

— Brian Rauf (@brauf33) November 10, 2023

Not to be outdone, Kent State would overcome a late deficit of its own to force double OT, coming back from five points down in the final moments of that period.

It wouldn’t be enough, though.

James Madison would take the game in double overtime, winning 113-108.

After the game, a number of ice cold takes surfaced on social media. Many had already written off the Dukes, jumping the gun with their victory posts online.