key basketball dates
Jan. 11, 1947
JMU beat Mary Washington 31-24 in its first game in the Reed Hall (now Keezell Hall) gymnasium. Men first attended JMU’s regular session in the fall of 1946, and the players were mostly of World War II veterans. JMU played seven games in 1946-47.
Dec. 3, 1969
JMU played its first NCAA varsity game, losing 101-83 at Shepherd. The NCAA considers a program varsity when it plays only varsity teams.
Dec. 6, 1969
JMU beat D.C. Teacher’s College 80-77 for its first NCAA win. The game was played at Harrisonburg High School, the site of JMU home games 1968-72 until Godwin Hall opened.
1971-72
Major changes began as President Ronald E. Carrier brought in as athletics director Dean Ehlers, who was 16-7 in one season as head coach.
May 1972
Changes continued as Lou Campanelli became head coach, scholarships were first awarded and an oncampus facility was completed. Wilbert “Buddy” Mills signed JMU’s first scholarship May 5; Godwin Hall (capacity 5,100) was dedicated May 6; and Campanelli was hired May 11.
Dec. 2, 1972
JMU beat Bridgewater 69-54 in its first game under Lou Campanelli and its first game in Godwin Hall, its home for 10 seasons.
Feb. 25, 1974
JMU beat a Division I team for the first time, 43-41 at The Citadel, and clinched its first 20-win year.
March 6, 1974
JMU played in an NCAA Tournament for the first time, losing 59-54 at Fisk.
March 3, 1975
JMU won the Virginia College Athletic Association, 107-96 at home over St. Paul’s, as Sherman Dillard scored 42 points. JMU had won the VCAA West crown with a 6-0 record.
March 11-12, 1976
JMU made its second NCAA appearance, losing 86-77 to Old Dominion and 86-81 to Morgan State.
Sept. 1, 1976
The NCAA approved JMU’s move to Division I.
Sept. 21, 1977
JMU joined the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
JMU met defending NCAA champion North Carolina in 1983 in NCAA play in the Greensboro Coliseum. The season was the third straight in which JMU won a firstround NCAA Tournament game.
Nov. 28, 1982
JMU beat Virginia Military 58-33 in the first game in the JMU Convocation Center. JMU’s Charles Fisher scored the first points in the facility.
March 12, 1983
Sherman Dillard became the first Duke to score 2,000 points in a 71-70 home win over The Citadel.
JMU won its second ECAC South title, beating William and Mary 41-38 in the tournament finals at the University of Richmond and gaining its third straight NCAA bid.
June 9, 1978
March 17-19, 1983
Feb. 13, 1978
Sherman Dillard, Indiana’s sixth-round selection, became the first Duke selected in the National Basketball Association draft.
Jan. 27, 1979
Steve Stielper broke Sherman Dillard’s JMU record of 2,065 points in a 52-49 win at William and Mary. Stielper had 2,126 career points.
March 6-7, 1981
JMU beat West Virginia 57-50 in Greensboro, N.C., to win an NCAA first-round game for the third straight year. North Carolina ended JMU’s season for the second straight year 68-49.
May 10, 1985
John Thurston, a 10-year JMU assistant under Lou Campanelli, became JMU’s coach. Campanelli became the coach at California.
JMU posted its first ECAC post-season wins and earned its first NCAA Division I Tournament bid. The Dukes beat William and Mary 44-42 and Richmond 69-60 at Hampton, Va.
March 12-14, 1981
JMU made its first Division I NCAA appearance, beating Georgetown 61-55 at Providence, R.I., in the East Regional. Two days later JMU appeared on national television (NBC) for the first time but lost 54-45 to Notre Dame.
Feb. 22, 1982
JMU beat Campbell 79-46 in the final game at Godwin Hall, where JMU had a 119-22 (.844) record. Bryan Edwards was first-team All-CAA on JMU’s 1992 and 1993 NIT teams.
Dec. 7, 1972
March 11-13, 1982
JMU made its second straight NCAA appearance and beat Ohio State 55-48 in Charlotte, N.C. Eventual NCAA champion North Carolina ended JMU’s season 52-50 in the second round.
George Toliver became JMU’s first 1,000-point scorer in an 81-44 win over Tusculum.
Dec. 12, 1973
JMU played a Division I foe for the first time, losing 58-54 at Virginia Military.
Linton Townes led JMU’s 1981 and 1982 NCAA Tournament teams in scoring.
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