Women's Basketball 1/23/2015 10:00:00 AM

RADFORD, HIGH POINT SET FOR SATURDAY SHOWDOWN IN DEDMON

Jan. 24, 2015 :: 2:00 p.m.
Dedmon Center (3,215) :: Radford, Va.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: Radford Sports Network
Live Stats: Link

RADFORD, Va. – Two of the top four teams in the Big South women's basketball standings are set to collide Saturday at 2 p.m. when Radford hosts High Point inside the Dedmon Center. The conference clash is part of an ESPN3 home doubleheader as the RU men square off against Liberty at 4:30 p.m.

RADFORD ROUNDUP
Saturday's game against the Panthers closes the first half of the league schedule. Currently, the Highlanders (9-9, 6-3 Big South) are tied for third place in the standings with Campbell.

The Camels were one of two teams in the top four of the standings to fall on the road Tuesday night in Big South action. RU was able to avoid the upset bug by defeating UNC Asheville, 67-65. It was the Highlanders' fourth win of the season by three points or less.

Radford will be looking to end a three-game slide in the High Point series. The Highlanders have not beaten HPU since Jan. 26, 2013—a 64-55 road victory inside the Panthers' Millis Center. High Point leads the head-to-head series, 23-15, and has won five out of the last seven meetings.

Senior Ayana Avery is the only double-figure scorer for RU at 10.4 points per game. She is one of the Highlanders' top threats from beyond the arc. The 5-foot-5 guard has 42 3-pointers through 18 contests, which are tied for the most in the Big South. Her 2.3 3-pointers per game are tied for first in the Big South as well.

Over in the rebounding department, freshman Janayla White pulls down 7.9 caroms per contest. Her average ranks eighth in the conference. On top of her rebounding, White ranks fourth in the Big South in blocks per game, rejecting 1.8 shots per outing. In conference-only games, RU ranks second in the league with its +4.7 rebounding margin.

Paced by Aisha Foy's .397 clip from long range, Radford tops the Big South in 3-point field goal percentage (.327). Foy is one of three Highlanders who average over 30 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

SCOUTING HIGH POINT
The Panthers (12-6, 8-1 Big South) moved up into a tie for first place in the conference standings following Winthrop's 63-58 upset of Liberty on Tuesday night. Despite HPU having an unblemished 9-0 record at home, the Panthers are only 3-6 away from the Millis Center.

Like Radford's last opponent (UNC Asheville), High Point is one of the more experienced teams in the conference. The Panthers returned eight players (all five starters) off their 2013-14 squad that finished with 22 wins, the most for the program since joining Division I in 1999. High Point won the 2013-14 Big South regular-season title and advanced to the tournament championship before falling to Winthrop. HPU qualified for the WNIT, losing to Bowling Green in the first round, 72-62.

Since their 64-47 loss at Liberty, the Panthers have won five in a row. During this stretch, HPU has not allowed an opponent to score more than 59 points.

High Point's offense is centered around the dynamic duo of Stacia Robertson and Kaylah Keys. Robertson and Keys average 15.6 and 15.5 points per game, respectively.

Robertson ranks third in scoring, second in rebounding (9.4), first in steals per game (2.9) and second in blocks per game (3.4) among Big South players. In addition, the 6-foot-2 forward hits 60.1 percent of her shots—that percentage leads the league.

Keys, the Big South Freshman of the Year last season, is one of the top threats from 3-point land in the Big South. The sophomore guard averages 2.3 3-pointers per game and shoots 34.4 percent from long range.

As a team, High Point leads the conference in shooting percentage (.428). In addition, the Panthers like to push the pace as they rank second in the Big South in scoring (70.7).

SATURDAY EVENTS
During the women's game, there will be a free t-shirt giveaway while supplies last. In addition, it is Highlander Kids Club Day, highlighted by a mascot exhibition during halftime of the men's game.

UP NEXT
Radford remains at home for Tuesday's Big South battle with Gardner-Webb. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#5 Ayana Avery: G; 5' 5"; Senior

#3 Aisha Foy: G; 5' 6"; Junior

#21 Janayla White: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#5 Ayana Avery
: 5' 5"; Senior
: G

#3 Aisha Foy
: 5' 6"; Junior
: G

#21 Janayla White
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F

Players Mentioned

#5 Ayana Avery

#3 Aisha Foy

#21 Janayla White

Players Mentioned

#5 Ayana Avery

#3 Aisha Foy

#21 Janayla White