JMU preview

What: VCU vs. JMU

When: Saturday, Feb. 26

Time: Noon

Television: Comcast Sports Net

All-time series: VCU leads 43-20

Trends: VCU is 8-2 in their last ten meetings with the Dukes. The Rams haven’t suffered a home loss to the Dukes since the Jeff Capel era in 2005.

Probable starters:

VCU:

Senior PG Joey Rodriguez

Senior SG Ed Nixon

Freshman F Juvonte Reddic

Junior F Bradford Burgess

Senior F Jamie Skeen

James Madison:

Sophomore G Devon Moore

Junior G Humpty Hitchins

Junior F Julius Wells

Sophomore F Andrey Semenov

Senior F Denzel Bowles

Streaks:

VCU: L1 overall, L3 in-conference

JMU: W2 overall, W1 in-conference

Game notes:

– Saturday’s match-up will serve as Senior Day for the Rams’ four seniors: Joey Rodriguez, Jamie Skeen, Ed Nixon and Brandon Rozzell.

– It will also be the VCU’s last home game of the season barring a return for post-season competition. Heading into the game, the Rams have compiled a record of 11-2 at home this season, with the two losses coming in the past two weeks to rivals Old Dominion and George Mason.

– The last time these two teams played, VCU barely escaped out of Harrisonburg with a win after senior guard Joey Rodriguez nailed a jumper from the corner with less than 30 seconds, in what was his only field goal of the day, to play to give the Rams a 70-66 victory.

– JMU star forward Denzel Bowles is the CAA Player of the Week this week after leading the Dukes to a 2-0 record last week including a 40-point, monster effort over Towson, who remain winless in the CAA.

– Joey Rodriguez will look to move into third place on the all-time assists leaders list at VCU. He currently has 408 career assists, just 119 shy of LaMar Taylor who recorded 527 in his time with the Rams.

– Saturday’s game will be senior guard Brandon Rozzell’s final game at the Siegel Center where he has averaged a team-high 14.2 points this year.