BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – The backcourt duo of R.J. Price (Richmond, Va. / Atlee) and Jareal Smith (Savannah, Ga. / Johnson) scored 13 points each as Radford began the Mike Jones era with a 58-54 victory over Delaware in season-opening men's basketball action Friday evening at the Dedmon Center.
 
After a pair of Jamelle Hagins free throws gave Delaware (0-1) a 53-51 lead with just under three minutes to play, Price nailed consecutive 3-pointers to put the Highlanders up, 57-53.
 
With the triumph, Coach Jones becomes just the second in Radford history to win his head-coaching debut (Oliver Purnell 1988).
 
In addition to leading the Highlanders offensively, Price and Smith pulled down six rebounds each, while senior Johnathan Edwards (Queens, N.Y. / Tyler JUCO) added 10 points and eight boards.
 
The Highlanders also outrebounded the Blue Hens, 47-42, while committing just 11 turnovers.
 
Despite shooting just 32.8 percent (19-58) from the floor, Radford (1-0) held Delaware to just 28.8 percent (15-52).
 
The game featured eight ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than five the entire night.

Trailing 14-11, Radford closed the first half on a 12-4 spurt highlighted by consecutive treys from Smith and Price before going to the break up, 23-18.
 
Devon Saddler, the 2011 CAA Freshman of the Year, led the Blue Hens with 18 points on just 5-of-22 shooting. Hagins also scored in double figures with 17 points, while pulling down a game-high nine rebounds.
 
After going just 2-for-12 from long range in the first half, the Highlanders connected on 40 percent (6-15) of their attempts in the last 20 minutes, while holding the Blue Hens to 14.3 percent for the contest.
 
Delaware, which got to the line 36 times, only converted 22 of its tries, while Radford went just 12-of-21 (.571) from the charity stripe.

The Highlanders will continue their stretch of seven games in 13 days to begin the 2011-12 season with a 7 p.m. contest against Shenandoah tomorrow evening at the Dedmon Center.