RADFORD, Va. – Artsiom Parakhouski (Minsk, Belarus) and Kenny Thomas (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) combined to score 44 points and Radford held Winthrop to just 18.5 percent (5-27) shooting in the second half as the Highlanders cruised to a 73-52 victory in Big South men's basketball action Saturday evening at Peters Hall.

“We played a very solid defensive game highlighted by a strong stretch of 2-3 zone that held Winthrop to five field goals in the second half,” said Radford head coach Brad Greenberg.

Leading 38-34 at the break, Radford (3-4, 1-1 Big South) opened the second half on a 17-6 spurt and didn't allow the Eagles closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

Parakhouski finished the evening with 24 points on 11-of-12 from the floor and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to finish with his second double-double of the season. Coming off a 25-point performance against Gardner-Webb Thursday evening, Thomas recorded his second-straight 20-point outing with 20, while adding five rebounds and five assists.

Martell McDuffy (Laurel, Md. / DeMatha) also contributed double digits for the Highlanders with 10 points, including a pair of buckets from downtown.

“We were able to get the ball to Art Parakhouski in great position, which helped him have a career-high 24 points. Kenny Thomas had a real solid floor game and Amir Johnson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Quaker Valley) did an excellent job controlling the team and handling the ball for 36 minutes against some real solid pressure defense,” said Greenberg.

Despite not scoring, Johnson moved into seventh place on Radford's all-time assist chart. The junior point guard handed out six this evening, giving him 299 for his career.

“You try not to get to high or low following a win or a loss,” commented Thomas. “But we're really excited about tonight's victory. Right now we're trying to keep it going and get better each day.”

To go along with its impressive play on the defensive end of the floor, Radford shot 50 percent (27-54) from the field.

Following a Parakhouski jumper that put the Highlanders up 26-18 midway through the opening half, Winthrop (1-7, 0-2 Big South) responded with a 12-0 run to take its first lead, 30-26, since the 2:05 mark. Radford answered the Eagles' lengthy streak with nine consecutive points of its own, capped off by a McDuffy three-pointer to put the Highlanders up for good.

Parakhouski led all players at intermission with 12 points and six rebounds.

Charles Corbin was the lone Eagle in double figures with 11 points.

Radford controlled the glass outrebounding the Eagles, 39-29.

Tonight's win for the Highlanders ended a 12-game losing streak to Winthrop. Along with it being Radford's first win over the four-time defending league champions in five years, it was the Highlanders' largest margin of victory over a league opponent since defeating VMI, 101-77, January 26, 2006.

Radford will continue its four-game homestand with 7 p.m. contest against Duquesne Wednesday evening at Peters Hall.