On Saturday, App State welcomes James Madison for the program’s second nationally televised game of the season.

The last time the two teams faced each other, the Black and Gold downed the Dukes 59-55 in Harrisonburg, Virginia Jan. 13. The game itself was sloppy, with JMU shooting 36% from the field while the Mountaineers had 23 turnovers.

Since the home loss, the Dukes have won three-straight with wins over ULM, Marshall and Old Dominion.

Against the Monarchs on Wednesday, JMU cruised to a 78-62 win as forward Julien Wooden led the way with 23 points and five rebounds. The Dukes’ were without leading scorer, Terrence Edwards Jr., for most of the second half after he was ejected after getting into a scuffle with an ODU player.

App State is coming off a dominant home win over rival Georgia Southern 84-74. Sophomore guard Terence Harcum finished with 23 points. They limited the Eagles to 23% from three and scored 14 points off 10 Georgia Southern turnovers.

On the season, the Dukes average 85.5 points per game, ranking ninth in the nation. They shoot 47.3% from the field and 34% from three. James Madison averages around 12.5 offensive rebounds per game, leading to easy second chance points as well as open shots from the perimeter. 

JMU’s high-ranking offense contrasts with the Mountaineers’ top-ranked defense. App State limits opponents to 63.2 points per game, ranking near the top in Division I. The Black and Gold’s rim protection was evident in their first matchup as they totaled seven blocks, with four coming from sophomore forward Justin Abson. App State’s length on defense forced the Dukes into tough shots.

Defensively, James Madison forces 15.7 turnovers per game, leading to easy points in transition. In their last matchup, App State’s 23 turnovers powered the Dukes’ comeback as they got easy baskets in transition. 

Controlling the turnover battle will be critical in Saturday’s contest as the winner will likely be decided by turnovers.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.