Busting Brackets
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Bracketology 2024: 5 games with early season momentum building on the line

By Jason Burgess

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Kyle Filipowski #30 reacts after a basket by Jeremy Roach #3 of the Duke Blue Devils against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half of the ACC Basketball Tournament Championship game at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Duke won 59-49. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Kyle Filipowski #30 reacts after a basket by Jeremy Roach #3 of the Duke Blue Devils against the Virginia Cavaliers in the second half of the ACC Basketball Tournament Championship game at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Duke won 59-49. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) walks back to the bench and the James Madison Dukes Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) walks back to the bench and the James Madison Dukes Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

James Madison (1-0) at Kent State (1-0)

Kent, OH, Thursday, November 9, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN+

On Thursday night a couple of mid-major favorites do battle in the Mid-American/Sun Belt Challenge. The James Madison Dukes (1-0) make the trek to Kent, Ohio to take on the Golden Flashes. This is the second game of the year and the second big test for Mark Byington’s Dukes as they did battle with national title contender Michigan State on opening night. After upsetting the No. 4 Spartans 79-76, they will be looking to continue that high and start the year 2-0. Conversely, this is the Division I contest for Kent State (1-0) after beating Malone University on Monday.

The Dukes have an athletic core that likes to play extremely fast offensively while also playing solid defense. They scored 80 points per game last season while keeping their opponents under 70. Offensively the guy to keep an eye on is Terrence Edwards, the reigning Sun Belt Sixth Man of the Year who had 24 points in the upset of Michigan State. The 6-6 forward was the team’s leading scorer last season shooting nearly 53% from the field and over 45% from deep as well as being one of the best defenders in the conference.

The Golden Flashes lost a lot of firepower from last season’s team, most notably Sincere Carry and Malique Jacobs, but Coach Senderoff will now look to a quartet of veterans to lead his team. It’s no coincidence that forwards VonCameron Davis, Chris Payton, Jr., and guards Giovanni Santiago and Jalen Sullinger are the team’s top returning scorers. With Carry and Jacobs gone 43% of Kent State’s shot attempts are now available to others and this foursome will help keep Kent State in the mix in the MAC this year.

James Madison was picked to win the Sun Belt and the Golden Flashes were picked just behind Akron in the Mid-American, so this early-season matchup is important for both teams. The winner gets to put a notch in a resume belt that could have a lot of notches by season’s end.

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