PENSACOLA, Fla. – James Madison and Arkansas State will meet for this first time this season in the 2025 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship after winning their respective semifinal games.

The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN2.

Game 11: (4) Coastal Carolina 65, (1) James Madison 89 [Box Score]

The Sun Belt’s Player of the Year, Peyton McDaniel led James Madison to a dominant 89-65 semifinal win over Coastal Carolina.

The redshirt junior had a 24-point, 12 rebound game, shooting 11-16 from the field. She was joined in double figures by Ashanti Barnes who had a near double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Annalicia Goodman had a career-high 13 points, while Ro Scott and Jamia Hazell both had 11.

Coastal Carolina was led by Kristen Williams who had 13 points and Alancia Ramsey and Jaylen Ponder who each had 11.

Both teams got out to a quick start, McDaniel would have the first bucket of the game, immediately followed by a Coastal three. The Chants would go up 9-6 midway through the first, the last time they would hold the lead as Barnes would get fouled while nailing a three pointer, to go up 12-9, and JMU would never lose the lead again.

As the game continued, tempers would flare. Coastal’s Savannah Brooks and JMU’s Barnes would get into it, starting a scrum that would result in Brooks being ejected from the game and three others being assessed fouls. With each team being assessed three total fouls, neither would head to the line.

After the delay, Scott would hit a three, swinging the momentum in James Madison’s direction. The Dukes would take a 25-18 lead into the second quarter.

On a tear, James Madison pulled away by as much as 14 in the second quarter. Shooting 47.4 from the field, the Dukes would head into the locker room with a 46-36 lead over Coastal Carolina.

The pace didn’t slow to begin the second, each team exchanging shot for shot. The Chants would get as close as seven, before the Dukes were able to pull away by 11 midway through the third.

Ending the third on top 69-53, James Madison shot 75.0 percent from the field, going 9-12 in the quarter.

An intentional foul on Hazell would start the fourth quarter and send the Chants to the line, the sixth intentional foul of the game. Coastal would score five straight, capped by a three from Wiliams to bring the deficit to 10. The Dukes immediately went on a eight point run, extending the lead to 18.

The deficit would reach 24-points, 89-65, as the clock hit zero the largest margin of victory for James Madison in its three games with Coastal this season.

Coastal’s season comes to an end at 23-8.

James Madison will play in its third consecutive Sun Belt Championship, having won in 2022-23 and losing last year to Marshall.

McDaniel’s double-double performance is her 13^th of the year, second most in the Sun Belt.

The Dukes extended its win streak to 20, now holding a 28-4 record on the year.
 
Game 12: (3) Troy 66, (2) Arkansas State 81  [Box Score]

After being picked to finish second to last in the league, Arkansas State took down Troy to advance to the Sun Belt Championship.

Kennedie Montue played lights out for the Red Wolves with 21 points and eight rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Crislyn Rose (14) and Zyion Shannon (13).

Troy had two players finish with double-doubles, as Zay Dyer would record her 15^th of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Brianna Jackson would record a 10-point, 15-point double-double herself.

Briana Peguero had a team high 17 points, while Emani Jenkins had 12 and Shaulana Wagner 11.

Troy struck first with five quick points to take the 5-0 lead, but Arkansas State would steal the lead with a 11-1 run. 

The two teams matched up well, trading shots that kept the Red Wolves from pulling away, leading just 21-16 at the end of the first.

Arkansas State got hot in the second, going on a run that would give them a 21-point advantage over Troy. However, a four and a half minute scoring drought in the second quarter would allow Troy with an opportunity to close in and head into the locker room down 12, 27-39.

The Red Wolves would look to create separation in the third, but Troy didn’t shy away from the fight and were able to stay within seven midway through the third. However, with two minutes left, Arkansas State would go on a 14-3 run and enter the fourth up 18, 65-47.

Troy bounced back again, with a 10-point run to cut the Red Wolves lead to start the fourth, but that’s as close as they would get. Arkansas State would take the game 81-66 and earn its meeting with James Madison in the Championship.

Troy’s season ends at 20-13 on the year.

Arkansas State 20-10 on the year and marks A-State's first 20-win season since finishing 27-6 (19-1 SBC) in 2015-16.

James Madison and Arkansas State did not face each other in the regular season.  

2025 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship

Tuesday, March 4
Game 1 – (12) Georgia Southern def. (13) Southern Miss, 70-59
Game 2 – (11) Marshall def. (14) South Alabama, 73-59
 
Wednesday, March 5
Game 3 –  (12) Georgia Southern def. (9) ULM, 75-69
Game 4 – (11) Marshall def. (10) Texas State, 68-62
 
Thursday, March 6
Game 5 – (8) Georgia State def. (12) Georgia Southern, 70-64
Game 6 – (11) Marshall def. (7) Louisiana, 48-46

Friday, March 7
Game 7 – (8) Georgia State def. (5) Old Dominion – 70-64
Game 8 – (11) Marshall def. (6) App State – 75-66

Saturday, March 8
Game 9 – (4) Coastal Carolina def.  (8) Georgia State, 77-68
Game 10 – (3) Troy def. (11) Marshall, 85-54

Sunday, March 9
Game 11 – (1) James Madison def.  (4) Coastal Carolina, 89-65
Game 12 – (2) Arkansas State def.  (3) Troy, 81-66

Monday, March 10 (Championship)
Game 13 – (2) Arkansas State vs. (1) James Madison – 1 p.m. CT [ESPN2]