Mercyhurst vs James Madison prediction: James Madison's three-point barrage tests Mercyhurst's ice-cold shooters
The Dukes fire from deep more than almost anyone in the country, while the Lakers have barely found the rim from outside in a rough road opening.
- James Madison's volume shooting should stretch a Mercyhurst offense that has struggled to score against Division I opponents, unless the Lakers turn steals into easy points.
- Watch Mercyhurst's guards against JMU's ball handlers: the Lakers rank 36th in steal rate, and the Dukes protect the ball well.
- No line is posted yet. James Madison has gone over the total in both of its lined games this season.
The Dukes live beyond the arc
Preston Spradlin's rebuilt James Madison roster has a clear identity two games in. The Dukes take 57.2% of their shots from three, sixth-most in Division I, and they make enough to justify it at 36.7%. That volume nearly carried them at No. 23 Kentucky, where they hit 15 threes, nine of them in the first half, and covered a big number in an 89-80 loss.
Inside the arc it is a different team. JMU makes 42.4% of its twos, which ranks 332nd. The Dukes win this game from the perimeter or not at all.
Mercyhurst sits at the other extreme. The Lakers are shooting 21.5% from three, 344th nationally, and their effective field goal percentage (a shooting measure where threes count 1.5 times) is 44.2%. Freshman Hunter Te Ratana has missed all 10 of his three-point attempts. If that shooting holds, the Lakers can't trade baskets with a team built to rain threes.
Mercyhurst vs James Madison: quick answers
When is Mercyhurst vs James Madison?
Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET.