Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Javonte Green
RUHighlanderPhotos.com

Men's Basketball

ANOTHER ROAD TRIUMPH FOR RU, 86-75 AT LONGWOOD

BOX SCORE |

FARMVILLE, Va. - Radford (18-10, 8-5) fought back from a nine-point second half deficit Wednesday at Longwood (8-20, 3-10) to post its fourth straight Big South road victory, 86-75 over the Lancers at Willett Hall. R.J. Price led RU with 28 points, and Javonte Green added his fourth double-double in five games with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Down 51-42 with 16:10 remaining in the game, Radford went on an 18-7 run to take the lead at the 8:31 mark on a three-point basket by Rashun Davis, who finished the game six points. All six, however, came on the bookends of the decisive run that got the Highlanders back in the game. Davis' traditional field goal and free throw three-point-play started the run to cut the Lancer lead to 51-45.

In between and thereafter, the game was dominated by the junior duo of Price and Green. Price's deep trey with 5:14 to play gave the Highlanders the lead for good, 68-66. Ya Ya Anderson's dagger from 25 feet shortly after pushed the Radford lead from 72-71 to 75-71 and turned all the momentum in favor of the visitors.

Price's 28 points was his first 20-plus point game since tying his career high of 30 vs. Sacred Heart in Las Vegas in December. The floor general put the Highlanders on his shoulders this night and willed his team to victory.

"We have worked really hard over the last three years to get in this position," Radford head coach Mike Jones said. "The guys weren't going to let that slip away tonight."

The Highlanders remain a game back in the Big South North Division standings behind VMI and High Point with a date with the Keydets up next in Lexington on Saturday.

Defensively, the Highlanders made Longwood's dynamic pair of Tristan Carey and Lucas Woodhouse work for everything they were able to get. Carey, who came in averaging nearly 30 points per game in his career vs. RU, shot just 6-18 from the field to get his 18 points. Kyle Noreen drew the defensive assignment for most of the night. Woodhouse scored a team-high 19, but handed out just six assists, below his 7.2 average which ranks third in the nation.

Radford built a nine-point lead in the first half on the hot shooting of Price and Anderson plus Green's 14 points. Price had nine in the first 20 minutes, and Anderson scored seven of his 14. The Lancers, however, closed the half on a 17-7 run over the final five minutes to carry a 39-38 lead into the locker room.

"The guys showed a lot of poise on the road," Jones said. "We stretched the lead out with sound execution and tremendous resolve in the second half."

The win puts RU above .500 on the road this season at 7-6 and 9-6 away from the Dedmon Center with two neutral site wins in Vegas.

Raford, now 8-2 coming off a loss on the season, travels to VMI on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. start in a crucial divisional matchup.

Print Friendly Version