James Madison Dukes vs South Alabama Jaguars Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our James Madison vs South Alabama NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Mobile.

James Madison vs South Alabama Prediction

Planning on watching today's Dukes and Jaguars game? Catch the action at Mitchell Center in Mobile, AL, as the Jaguars hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. In this Sun Belt matchup, James Madison is favored bt -1.5 vs. South Alabama. The over/under for the game is 136.5 points.

James Madison vs. South Alabama Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: James Madison Dukes at South Alabama Jaguars
Where: Mobile at Mitchell Center
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds JMAD -1.5, JMAD -116 | SALA -105 O/U 136.5

Dukes Preview: Will the Dukes Make it Happen on the Road?

James Madison Dukes Recent Game/Games

James Madison fell to 5-5 on the season after a 75-58 road loss to Wake Forest on Tuesday. The Dukes, who entered the game as +8 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread.

JMU led 32-31 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 26 points while allowing 44. The total points for the game were 133, just under the O/U line of 135.5.

Dukes Offense Breakdown

James Madison struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.9% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, finishing with 58 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.8%, and they hit 66.7% of their free throws, going 6-for-9 from the line.

Hunter Sallis led the way with 27 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 60% overall and 40% from three. Cameron Hildreth added 18 points, hitting 62.5% of his shots and 66.7% from deep, while Mark Freeman and Davin Cosby each contributed 14 points, with Freeman going 2-for-2 from three-point range.

Dukes Team Defense

James Madison's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 75 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed 23 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 63% success rate for their opponent.

From beyond the arc, the Dukes held their opponent to 29% shooting, with 7 made threes on 24 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 13 times, where they made 8 free throws, shooting 61%.

Jaguars Preview: Will the Jaguars Make it Happen at Home?

South Alabama fell to 6-4 on the season after a 58-49 road loss to TCU on Monday. Despite being +12.5 point underdogs, the Jaguars kept the game closer than expected.

South Alabama trailed 30-28 at halftime but managed just 21 points in the 2nd half while allowing 28. The game’s total points of 107 fell well below the O/U line of 136.5.

Jaguars Offense Breakdown

South Alabama's offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 49 points while shooting 33.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 39.2%, with a 26.9% mark from three-point range, hitting 7 of 26 attempts.

Barry Dunning Jr. led the team with 17 points, shooting 50% overall and from beyond the arc. Vasean Allette added 14 points, and Trazarien White contributed 13, despite hitting just 2 of 9 threes.

Jaguars Team Defense

South Alabama's defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 58 points on 38% shooting from the field. They allowed 21 made field goals on 55 attempts.

From beyond the arc, South Alabama limited their opponent to 5/26 shooting, or 19%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 11, shooting 64%.

Dukes vs Jaguars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Dukes last five road games, the team averaged 71 points per game while allowing 72. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 2-3, while going 2-3 straight-up.
In their last five home games, South Alabama has averaged 66 points per game while allowing 70. The team's record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 4-1.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Jaguars have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 4-1.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the favorite, the Dukes have a straight up record of 8-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 7-3.