HAMPTON SNAPS RADFORD WINNING STREAK AT FOUR

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HAMPTON, Va. - Radford had its four-game winning streak snapped Saturday with an 87-60 loss at Hampton. Kion Brown's first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 10 rebounds provided one of the few bright spots for the Highlanders, who finish the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 10-5 record.

The Highlanders never seemed in sync from the onset as RU committed 14 first-half turnovers and shot just 30.0 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. Still, despite getting no points from their two leading scorers, Javonte Green and R.J. Price, in the first half, the Highlanders scrapped and clawed to stay within six points at the intermission, 35-29.

"The guys that came off the bench in the first half came off with energy and had an aggressive mentality," Radford head coach Mike Jones said.

That toughness carried over into the first five minutes of the second half as RU kept the Pirates within reach, but a 13-0 run by Hampton turned a 45-40 game into a 58-40 lead, and the Highlanders never responded.

Radford allowed Hampton to shoot 53.4 percent from the field for the game, and the Pirates totaled four players in double figures, led by Deron Powers with 18. Du'Vaughn Maxwell added 16, Emmanuel Okoroba, and Dwight Meikle chipped in with 13 and 10, respectively.

"We had to show some resolve and for the most part of 25 of the 40 minutes, I thought we battled," Jones said. "But those 15 minutes to end the game we did not, and as a team we didn't hold it together when things got tough."

Ya Ya Anderson led the Highlanders with 13 points. Brandon Holcomb tied a season-high with 10 rebounds to go with his seven points. Green and Price finished with just three and two points, respectively, on a combined 2-15 shooting.

Radford begins Big South Conference play at home hosting Liberty on Wednesday, January 8. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m. in the Dedmon Center.

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