HOKIES TAKE NEW RIVER MATCHUP OVER HIGHLANDERS

BOX SCORE BLACKSBURG, Va. – Radford saw its four-game winnning streak come to an end Friday as Virginia Tech defeated the Highlanders 81-56 at Cassell Coliseum.

Despite the Highlanders receiving 15 and 11 points from Javonte Green and R.J. Price, respectively, Tech (5-3) used 50 percent (27-54) shooting to improve to 6-1 all-time against RU.

"We weren't locked in to start," Radford head coach Mike Jones said. "We took some quick shots early on that fuelded their run to open the game, and they got confidence and into a rhythm."

Adam Smith scored 17 of his career-high 28 points in the first half to lead Virginia Tech to the win. C.J. Barksdale (14), Jarell Eddie (13) and Marshall Wood (10) joined Smith in double-figure scoring for the Hokies. On top of their scoring output, Barksdale and Eddie contributed 10 rebounds apiece.

After Wood nailed a 3-pointer with 14:46 remaining in the game to give the Hokies a 55-32 favor, Price took over for Radford (4-2). The junior drilled three treys during a 16-7 surge to trim the Highlanders' deficit to 62-48 at the midway point of the second half, but the Highlanders could not close the gap any further.

"We disrupted them with our pressure, but we didn't execute well enough on the offensive end to be able to set up that pressure consistently," Jones said.

Behind 58.1 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes, the Hokies built a 48-28 advantage at the half and used an 18-0 run to build a 23-5 lead. Tech hit 13 of its first 19 shots (68.4 percent) and established a 31-12 advantage with 8:06 remaining in the first half.

Rashun Davis countered for the Highlanders by hitting the second of two free throws to initiate an 8-2 run to pull RU within 33-20. However, that was as close as RU would get in the final six minutes of the first half.

Lucas Dyer gave Radford quality minutes off the bench recording a career high six rebounds. He and Green led the Highlanders in that category.

Radford returns to the Dedmon Center for Wednesday's 7 p.m. contest against Central Penn. Radford defeated the Knights, 95-68, last December.

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