James Madison Dukes vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles Matchup

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

Southern Miss vs James Madison Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Golden Eagles versus the Dukes? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, VA. The odds for this Sun Belt conference game currently have James Madison as the -11.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 142.5 points.

Southern Miss vs. James Madison Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Southern Miss Golden Eagles at James Madison Dukes
Where: Harrisonburg at Atlantic Union Bank Center
Date: Thursday, January 2nd
Betting Odds JMAD -11.5, SOUMIS +525 | JMAD -780 O/U 142.5

Golden Eagles Preview: Will Southern Miss Come Through as Road Underdogs?

Southern Miss improved to 4-7 on the season with a 68-66 win over Marshall on Saturday. The Golden Eagles were +3.5 underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread with the victory.

Southern Miss led 39-34 at halftime and scored 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32. The game’s total points of 134 fell short of the 146.5 O/U line.

Golden Eagles Offense Breakdown

Southern Miss put up 68 points in their latest game, shooting 48.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. They hit 58.3% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 30% of their threes. Free-throw shooting was also an issue, as they made only 44.4% from the line.

Denijay Harris led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 62.5% from the field and 40% from three. Dezayne Mingo was efficient, hitting 6 of 7 shots, including 2 of 3 from deep. The Golden Eagles grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists in the win.

Golden Eagles Team Defense

Southern Miss gave up 66 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field, including 58% on two-point attempts (21/36). They also allowed 6 threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting rate from beyond the arc.

From the free-throw line, Southern Miss's opponent shot 44%, making 8 of 18 attempts. The Golden Eagles also allowed 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

Dukes Preview: Can the Dukes Offense Score Enough at Home?

James Madison Dukes Recent Game/Games

James Madison fell to 5-6 on the season after a 77-49 road loss to South Alabama on Saturday, December 21st. The Dukes entered the game as +1 underdogs but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 34-26 at halftime, James Madison struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 23 points while allowing 43. The combined points of 126 fell short of the 137.5 O/U line.

Dukes Offense Breakdown

James Madison struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 49 points on 29.1% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 36.4%, with the Dukes hitting 32% of their two-point attempts and 26.7% from beyond the arc, making 8 threes on 30 attempts.

Myles Corey stood out, shooting 63.6% overall and dishing out 7 assists, while Barry Dunning Jr. added 16 points on 58.3% shooting. Bryce Lindsay contributed 12 points, hitting 4 threes at a 33.3% rate.

Dukes Team Defense

James Madison's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 77 points on 51% shooting from the field. The Dukes had a tough time inside, as the opposing team shot 74% on two-point attempts, hitting 20 of 27.

From beyond the arc, the opposition went 9/29, a 31% clip. James Madison also sent them to the line 11 times, where they converted 10 free throws (90%). The Dukes allowed 6 offensive rebounds.

Golden Eagles vs Dukes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Southern Miss has an ATS mark of 1-9. Their straight up record in these matchups was 0-10 while averaging 67 points per game.
Across the Dukes last three home games, the team averaged 59 points per game while allowing 72. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
As the betting underdog, the Golden Eagles have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Southern Miss posted a straight up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.
The Dukes have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.