NEW ORLEANS – Following the first weekend of league action, James Madison graduate forward T.J. Bickerstaff has been named Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season.
 
Bickerstaff becomes the second JMU player to earn multiple weekly honors this season alongside redshirt junior swingman Terrence Edwards Jr. The Atlanta native also received the recognition Dec. 12.
 
In the Dukes’ lone contest last week, Bickerstaff led all players with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to register his fourth double-double of the season in an 82-65 home win over Texas State. He also shot 9-for-11 from the field to secure his 12th double-digit scoring effort on the campaign and became just the second player in the Sun Belt to compile at least 20 points, 10 boards and five helpers in a game this season.
 
Ranked 19th in the latest AP Top 25 poll, James Madison’s 13-0 record to start the season places them among just three remaining undefeated teams nationally. The Dukes’ 13-consecutive victories marks their longest such streak in program history.

2023-24 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Players of the Week
Week 1 – Terrence Edwards Jr., James Madison (RS Jr., G – Atlanta, Ga.) 
Week 2 – Freddy Hicks, Arkansas State (Jr., G – Searcy, Ark.)
Week 3 – Kobe Julien, Louisiana (RS Jr., F – Baton Rouge, La.)
Week 4 – Kobe Julien, Louisiana (RS Jr., F – Baton Rouge, La.)
Week 5 – T.J. Bickerstaff, James Madison (Gr., F – Atlanta, Ga.)
Week 6 – Jordan Mason, Texas State (So., G – San Antonio, Texas)
Week 7 – Terrence Edwards Jr., James Madison (RS Jr., G – Atlanta, Ga.)
Week 8 – T.J. Bickerstaff, James Madison (Gr., F – Atlanta, Ga.)