James Madison point guard Devon Moore's sophomore season is over before it started.

Head coach Matt Brady confirmed Monday that Moore will miss the upcoming season because of a torn ACL in his left knee.

Brady called Moore "one of the brightest young players in our league" as a guest on WHSV.com Sports Xtra Monday night.

"He's our primary ball handler, and I think he's our best perimeter defensive player," Brady said. "And I think Devon Moore is one of the best leaders any coach could ever have, in any sport.

"So we're losing a lot, when you talk about losing Devon Moore."

Moore hurt the knee late in the second half of JMU's closed scrimmage against Hampton at the Convocation Center Sunday. According to Brady, the knee buckled when Moore came to an abrupt stop under the basket, and the sophomore fell to the floor.

Moore had X-rays taken on the knee Sunday night, then an MRI Monday morning. Brady told Moore the MRI results in the coach's office that afternoon.

He took the news "better than me, quite frankly," Brady said on Sports Xtra.

"And then I had to break the news to him that in fact his season is over. And he took a deep breath and said, "Well that's okay too. I'll deal with this,"" Brady recounted. "And to be honest with you, he got up, walked out, and scampered out of the office to academic advising and went to tutoring."

Brady said Moore will redshirt this season.

Moore was an CAA all-rookie team selection as a freshman. He averaged 10.7 points and had 92 assists in 32 games, all starts.

Brady said senior Pierre Curtis will shift from shooting guard to point guard, the position he played in his first two seasons at JMU, and freshman Darren White will replace Moore in the starting lineup.

Junior Ben Louis becomes the Dukes' new backup point guard, Brady said.

"We do have to tinker some things. There are some things that we won't run that we would have run with Devon," Brady said. "It takes away from us one of the premier defensive perimeter players in this league. And it takes away a guy with unbelievable character and leadership skills."

Brady won 21 games a year ago, his first season at JMU. The Dukes open the 09-10 season at (16) Ohio State Thursday.

"The goal is still the goal. We're going to try to become the best team in the league by season's end," Brady said Monday. "It would be harder for anybody in any league to take away one of the best players, not just on your team, but in the league, and ask you to accomplish the same thing.

"My expectations are the same. But we recognize the challenges that are in front of us here."