COASTAL CAROLINA UPENDS HIGHLANDERS AT DEDMON

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RADFORD, Va. - Coastal Carolina outscored Radford 12-5 over the final five minutes of Saturday's Big South game at the Dedmon Center to post a 69-61 victory over the Highlanders and hand them their second straight loss.

Radford got out of the blocks slowly missing its first eight shots from the field to open the game and spotting the Chanticleers a 6-0 lead. The lead grew to double digits midway throught the first half as Coastal pulled out to a 17-7 lead before Rashun Davis and Ya Ya Anderson led the Highlanders back into the game.

"We got off to a slow start and didn't have a lot of energy coming out of the locker room," Radford head coach Mike Jones said. "I don't understand right now why we wouldn't have more with a Big South game like this, and we certainly have to find an answer for it."

A Davis three-pointer cut the lead to 17-10, and Anderson nailed a trio of shots from deep to bring RU back to within two points. A Davis free throw with 2:34 to play in the half gave Radford its first lead, 26-25. After the Chants pushed the lead back to four, the Highlanders closed the half with five straight to take a one-point margin into the locker room.

Davis hit a jumper to cut the lead to two, and then drew a charging foul on Coastal's Josh Cameron to give RU back the ball. Anderson connected again from behind the arc as time expired to give the hosts a 33-32 advantage.

"Our second unit came out and played harder," Jones said. "It was the effort and playing hard by that group that allowed us to get back in the game."

Coastal's Elijah Wilson, who finished with a game-high 22 points, 17 of which came in the second half, opened the second half with three straight baskets, and the Chanticleers never trailed again. His three-point basket with 18:33 to play gave Coastal the lead for good, 39-37.

After Coastal built the lead to as many as nine points, 52-43 with 11:23 to play, RU answered with a 13-5 lead to draw to within a single point, 57-56. The Highlanders turned up their defensive intensity in the run, led by Javonte Green's career high four blocked shots and a breakaway dunk.

"We played well in spurts in the second half, but we weren't consistent enough," Jones said. "Sometimes we would get a stop, but then other trip we wouldn't."

Green had a chance to tie the game at the end of the Radford run, but missed a free throw, and then picked up his third personal foul on the ensuing rebound at the 4:56 mark, and Coastal closed the game with the 12-5 run from that point and would ice the game.

Davis led the Highlanders with 16 points off the bench. Anderson's five three-pointers accounted for all 15 of his points. Green finished with 14, but had his three-game streak of double-doubles snapped with five rebounds. Anderson led the team with seven caroms.

Warren Gillis and Cameron joined Wilson in double figures for the Chanticleers with 16 and 14, respectively. El Hadji Ndieguene grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Radford will try to rebound from only its second set of back-to-back losses on the season when the Highlanders travel Wednesday, January 29 to Winthrop for a 7:00 p.m. tip in Rock Hill, S.C.

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