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PENSACOLA, Fla. – Peyton McDaniel and Kiki Jefferson combined to score 52 points and hit 11 of their 12 three-pointers on Monday afternoon as James Madison captured its first-ever Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship in an 81-51 romp over Texas State at the Pensacola Bay Center. 
 
The Dukes (26-7) earn the Sun Belt Conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. For James Madison, it is the first conference tournament championship since winning the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in 2016. James Madison will make its 13^th all-time NCAA tournament appearance and its first in seven years.  
 
“I’m so happy for this team that they get to experience this, " said head coach Sean O'Regan. "I couldn’t be more proud and happy that they get to go through this moment. They’re the whole reason I do this. To watch their growth and the way they overcome adversity and develop confidence, that’s what the beautiful part of this whole thing is.”
 
McDaniel matched an NCAA record with a 7-for-7 performance from deep to tie her career-high with 30 points and nine rebounds, while Jefferson went 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the field for 22 points, four rebounds and four assists. 
 
Jefferson was named the Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player, while McDaniel joined her on the All-Tournament Team. 

"Everyone on our team had confidence today, " said McDaniel. "I think that came from all the coaches and our teammates, and that belief helps us believe in ourselves.”
 
All told, James Madison shot an eye-popping 12-of-16 (75 percent) from the three-point line, turning a 14-14 tie after the first quarter into a run-away victory fueled by a 22-9 third quarter where it held Texas State (23-9) to just 4-of-16 shooting (25%). The 30-point victory by the Dukes also marks the largest margin of victory in a Sun Belt Conference Championship game. 
 
For Texas State, Da’Nasia Hood and Kennedy Taylor were the lone two Bobcats to reach double figures in scoring. The two graduate students scored 15 and 10, respectively, while Hood also had four rebounds. 
 
Hood and Taelour Pruitt were also named to the Sun Belt Women’s Basketall All-Tournament Team. Hood averaged 21.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in the tournament while also shooting 52.2 percent (24-of-46). Pruitt averaged 10.3 points on 55.6 percent shooting (10-of-18) coming off the bench in all three games. 
 
The Dukes will find out their NCAA destination on the NCAA Women’s Selection Show, scheduled to air at 7 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 12, on ESPN.
 
2023 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
 
Most Outstanding Player: Kiki Jefferson, James Madison
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison
Da’Nasia Hood, Texas State
Taelour Pruitt, Texas State
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss
Amari Young, Old Dominion