Game Notes

RADFORD, Va. -- Coming off a dominating 74-28 exhibition win over Emory & Henry, Radford women's basketball begins its 40th season as the Highlanders host Ferrum in their season opener on Monday evening at 7 p.m. from the Dedmon Center.

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It is a rare sight to see the Highlanders open their season at home as they will do so for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign and for just the 11th time in the program's 40 seasons. Overall, Radford is 19-20 in season openers, with the last 10 being on the road (3-7). Radford is 29-10 home openers, including 17-10 Dedmon Center openers.

Radford last won a season home opener on Nov. 16, 1997 with a 78-65 victory over Charlotte. Ferrum marks the first in-state opponent for Radford in a season home opener since defeating Averett, 73-18 to start the 1974-75 season.

This is the third meeting against Ferrum. The teams last met 40 years ago in Radford's inaugural 1971-72 season. In the two meetings, the Highlanders held the Panthers to 23 points each contest, winning by an average of 49 points.

The Highlanders return three starters and total of 11 players that saw time on the court last season. Highlighting the starters are All-Big South rookie team selection Da'Naria Erwin Spencer and seniors Kaylyn Crosier and Denay Wood.
   
Erwin Spencer is Radford's top returning scorer (9.3 ppg) and also led the team in assists (2.8 apg) and free throw percentage (.776). Wood averaged 8.7 points and 4.7 per game (top returning rebounder). She shot 35.2 percent (25-71) from three-point land and led Radford in steals (47). Crosier shot 38.2 percent from long range, while averaging 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
   
Coming off the bench are sophomores Ashley Buckhannon and Victoria Hamilton. who contributed 7.0 and 4.0 points per game, respectively. Buckhannon hit 36 percent (28-78) of her threes and dished out 46 assists. Hamilton pulled down 3.4 caroms per contest and recorded 34 steals.
   
Also returning is redshirt senior Brooke McElroy. The guard/forward averaged 7.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in the first nine contests before sitting out the remainder of the season.

The Highlanders lost two starters from last year's squad in forwards Kymesha Alston and Jewell Kinlaw. Alston, a second team All-Big South selection, averaged a team-high 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 39.7 percent from the field. Kinlaw led the team with a .505 shooting percentage and averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest.
   
Head coach Tajama Abraham Ngongba returns for her third season at the helm of the Highlanders. Ngongba has always put a big emphasis on defense. Last season, her squad was ranked 26th in the national in steals and set a school record when they held Presbyterian to five first half points on Jan. 18, 2010. They were also a strong offensive rebounding team, ranking third in the Big South.

The Highlanders will hit the road for their next three contests, starting with a trip to the nation's capital to face Howard on Thursday at 7 p.m.