TOWSON, Md. – A big fourth quarter and a late surge by the Towson University women's basketball team fell just short against the Dukes of James Madison. Towson was edged 64-55 at SECU Arena Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action.

Towson (9-15, 4-9 CAA) Sophomore forward Nukiya Mayo finished with a game-high 19 points as she was joined in double figures by Danielle Durjan, who had 14 points. Mary Cuevas reeled in a Towson-best nine rebounds.

League-leading James Madison (16-8, 12-1 CAA) was led by Kamiah Smalls and her 17 points. Kelly Koshuta finished with 13 points as Logan Reynolds had a dozen points. Kayla Cooper-Williams tallied a game-high 10 rebounds.

How it Happened

• After JMU jumped out to a 8-2 lead, the Tigers tied things up at eight after back-to-back 3-pointers from Mayo and Durjan. Mayo found herself at the top of the arch without a defender and knocked down the trey.
• The Dukes scored a pair of jumpers to take a 12-8 advantage into the quarter break.
• In the second quarter, James Madison quickly built a nine-point lead with a jumper and a three-ball from Logan Reynolds in the first 1:12 of the frame.
• Towson pulled back within five after Durjan and Mayo canned back-to-back jumpers, capitalizing on a pair of turnovers.
• After Cuevas hit the front end of two free throws, making it 24-17 with 4:43 to play, Towson struggled to score over the remainder of the period.
• JMU also struggled to score, hitting just two more field goals and taking a 28-17 lead into halftime.
• Midway through the third quarter, James Madison went on a 9-0 run over a three-minute span, taking a 45-28 lead with 1:45 to play in the frame.
• The Dukes held a 19-point lead in the final minute of the third before Durjan knocked down a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to make it 48-32.
• Towson cracked open the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to cut the score to 50-38. The two teams traded shows over a six-minute span as JMU held a double-digit lead in that stretch.
• The Dukes took a 13-point, 58-45 lead with 3:32 to play on a Reynolds jumper, setting Towson up for a late-game run.
• With 2:37 to play, Towson went on another 6-0 run and cut the lead down to seven.
• Despite poor free throw shooting through much of the game, Towson came on strong at the line late as Durjan and Mayo hit two free throws apiece. A Mayo finger roll in the middle of the paint cut the Dukes lead to seven, 58-51 with 54 seconds to play.
• Towson could not pull back within those seven points as the Tigers were forced to foul late. James Madison split those free throws, but it was enough for the 64-55 edge.

Behind the Numbers

• Towson struggled in the first three quarters at the line, combining to go 2-of-12, but finished strong and hit nine of the 11 trips to the line in the fourth.
• James Madison, conversely, struggled at the line in the fourth, hitting on just seven of 12 chances.
• The Tigers pulled in 41 rebounds, with 25 on the defensive end. James Madison grabbed 39 boards, with 29 on defense.
• Towson converted 22 JMU turnovers into 16 points, while finishing with 11 second-chance points.
• After a record-setting performance in blocks on Friday, Mariah Gray was the lone Tiger to swat away a shot. James Madison had 11 blocks, including seven from Cooper-Williams.

Up Next For Towson

• Towson heads north for a pair next weekend.
• The Tigers open the weekend at Northeastern for a 7 p.m. tip off on Friday in Boston.
• Towson rounds out the weekend with a rematch at Hofstra. That game will begin at 2 p.m.