James Madison Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Georgia State

HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – James Madison University women’s basketball team defeated Georgia State 84-64 in a Sun Belt Conference matchup on January 1, 2026. The game took place at the Atlantic Union Bank Center and showcased a strong performance from the Dukes, who improved to 10-5 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Despite trailing 15-11 at the end of the first quarter, James Madison came back with impressive shooting, hitting 29 of 46 field goal attempts for a 63% success rate over the final three quarters.

Zakiya Stephenson led the Dukes with a career-high 22 points, scoring 19 of them in the second half. Her perfect shooting night included 6-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from behind the arc.

Ashanti Barnes contributed significantly as well with a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Peyton McDaniel also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Bree Robinson added 13 points, six assists, and three steals to the team’s effort.

Georgia State’s Crystal Henderson and Grace Lanier each scored 13 points, but the Panthers struggled with shooting, as Henderson made only 6-of-18 attempts. Despite holding James Madison to 3 second-chance points, GSU could not maintain their early lead.

The Dukes dominated the paint, scoring 42 points in that area and forcing the Panthers into committing 16 turnovers. In the second half, James Madison went on a scoring spree, outscoring Georgia State 53-33 after the first quarter, with a standout stretch of 19 unanswered points late in the game.

With this win, James Madison extended its home-court advantage and aims to continue their strong performance in the Sun Belt Conference.