BOX SCORE
RADFORD, Va. – Jeremy Robinson (Baltimore, Md./Tallahassee Community College) hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 47 seconds and Radford shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half to rally past High Point, 64-59, for its first Big South win of the season Saturday evening at the Dedmon Center.
Robinson scored all 11 of his points from the line to lead the Highlanders, who finished the contest 28-of-38 at the charity stripe.
Johnathan Edwards (Queens, N.Y./Tyler Junior College) also added 11 points for Radford (4-11, 1-4 Big South), to go along with six rebounds.
The Highlanders shot 41.5 percent (17-41), while holding High Point to just 36 percent, including a .296 clip in the first half.
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POST-GAME: Brad Greenberg
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Following Edwards' three-point play that tied the contest, 27-27, High Point went on its second 9-0 run of the game to grab its largest advantage, 36-27.
The Highlanders slowly chipped away at the deficit and took their first lead (50-47) since the 9:52 mark of the opening half with consecutive buckets from
Gorkem Sonmez (Istanbul, Turkey) and
Blake Smith (Charlotte, N.C./United Faith Christian Academy).
High Point got to within one, 52-51, but the Highlanders answered with seven straight, including a huge trey from the corner by Sonmez to extend the margin to 59-51, with just 47 seconds to play.
After Robinson's final free throws made it 62-59, the Panthers had a chance to tie the score with 13 ticks remaining, but Radford secured the comeback by forcing its 21st turnover.
High Point (5-9, 2-3 Big South), which controlled the glass 29-10 (15 offensive) and held the Highlanders without a field goal the final 6:45 of the first period, led 25-20 at the half.
The two teams combined for just 14 field goals in the first 20 minutes of action, while both hovered around 30 percent from the floor.
Big South Preseason Player of the Year Nick Barbour was the lone Panther in double figures with a game-high 22 points, including four 3-pointers, while missing just one of his nine free throws.
Despite a much better effort on the boards in the final stanza, Radford was outrebounded, 44-27.
The Highlanders will continue their three-game homestand Thursday evening with a 7 p.m. tip against league/in-state foe VMI.
