Terrence Edwards scored 24 points, T.J. Bickerstaff added 19 points and No. 22 James Madison beat Southern Illinois 82-76 on Tuesday in the Cancun Challenge to spoil Xavier Johnson’s career-high 38-point performance.
James Madison (5-0), which collected a program-record 217 points in the AP Top 25 poll on Monday, will take on either Fresno State or New Mexico State in the championship game on Wednesday.
Edwards made a long jumper from the top of the key with 35.2 seconds left for a 79-74 lead. Johnson was short on a 3-pointer at the other end and Bickerstaff was fouled before making two free throws to make it 81-74.
Julien Wooden and Noah Freidel each had 10 points for James Madison. Edwards was 9 of 12 from the field and Bickerstaff was 8 of 12 to help JMU shoot 53%.
Johnson finished 11 of 20 from the field, including 4 of 9 from 3-point range, and 12 of 12 from the free-throw line for Southern Illinois (3-1). Johnson has made all 32 of his free-throw attempts this season. AJ Ferguson, coming off a career-high 20 points in a victory over Chicago State, was held scoreless.
James Madison built an early 16-point lead in the first half before Johnson took over for Southern Illinois. The Salukis closed the first half on an 8-1 run to get within 40-39. Johnson finished the half with 22 points.
The Salukis were seeking their first win over a top-25 team since topping No. 22 Wichita State in 2013.
