","thumbnailUrl":null,"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Radford University Athletics","jobTitle":null},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Radford University Athletics","url":"https://radfordathletics.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://radfordathletics.com/images/logos/site/site.png","width":50,"height":50}},"about":null,"speakable":{"type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["article-content","article-headline"]}} RADFORD PUSHES CHATTANOOGA TO THE LIMIT, BUT FALLS 77-75 - Radford University Athletics
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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
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75
Radford RAD 7-6
77
Winner Chattanooga UTC 10-2
Radford RAD
7-6
75
Final
77
Chattanooga UTC
10-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Radford RAD 33 42 75
Chattanooga UTC 41 36 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

RADFORD PUSHES CHATTANOOGA TO THE LIMIT, BUT FALLS 77-75



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Chattanooga 77, Radford 75
  • Records: Radford (7-6) | Chattanooga (10-2)
  • Location: McKenzie Arena | Chattanooga, Tenn.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Battling from behind on the road throughout the second half, Radford's men's basketball team took Chattanooga down to the wire before the Mocs hung on for a hard-fought 77-75 non-conference victory Tuesday afternoon.
  • The Highlanders trailed by eight at halftime, but made several mini-runs over the final 20 minutes, tying the game once and having five possessions with the chance to take the lead, but were unable to get over the hump.
  • Rashun Davis' runner capped a 7-2 spurt and evened the game at 61-61 with 6:55 to go.
  • Chattanooga, though, regained control with five quick points on a driving layup and 3-pointer.
  • Brandon Holcomb's dunk off a YaYa Anderson assist made it 70-67 with 2:14 to play and a Chattanooga turnover gave RU the ball back. However, Holcomb was whistled for an offensive foul and Chattanooga center Justin Tuoyo got a point-blank shot to roll all the way around the rim for just his second basket of the game – and a three-point play.
  • The Mocs' then converted just enough free throws in the final minute to offset five points by Davis and get the win.
  • RU had a brief 26-19 lead after a 10-0 run in the span of less than two minutes, capped by back-to-back 3-pointers by Caleb Tanner.
  • However, Chattanooga answered back almost as quickly scoring nine straight to go back in front. The Mocs maintained the momentum the remaining four minutes of the half, outscoring the Highlanders 13-5 to take the eight-point cushion into the break.
  • Radford, though, scored the first seven points of the second half, and it was a back and forth game the rest of the way.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Davis finished with a game-high 24 points – his highest total since the season opener at Georgetown – on 9 of 13 shooting. He hit another 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the game, but the margin wasn't close enough to make this one a winner.
  • Tanner enjoyed by far his best game as a Highlander, scoring a career-high 13 points and hitting on his first four 3-point attempts – matching the number of made field goals he had coming into the game.
  • The freshman actually needed a span of just 51 seconds to surpass his previous career-best scoring output of six, hitting one free throw before draining the two straight 3-pointers during the first-half spurt. His fourth trey came from about five feet behind the arc and made it a 59-57 game. He finished 4 of 6 from the field, including 4 of 5 on 3's.
  • Holcomb just missed a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds – with eight of the points and six of the boards coming in the second half.
  • Cameron Jones added eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while Ed Polite, Jr. totaled seven points, three more offensive rebounds and three blocks.
  • Radford shot 52 percent in the second half and finished at an even 50 percent for the game. Chattanooga was just below its average at 46 percent.
  • The Mocs came into the game 20th in the nation in 3-point percentage, but RU, which stood 19th in 3-point percentage defense, held them to just 6 of 22 (27 percent). On the other end, the Highlanders were 7 for 14 behind the arc.
  • However, Chattanooga won the rebounding battle 37-34 and converted 12 turnovers into 19 points. The home team also got nine more free throw attempts and had seven more makes.
  • After taking the seven-point lead, Radford went cold the rest of the first half, missing seven of its last nine shots and getting only one field goal in the last 4:30 to fall into the hole.
  • With Tanner leading the way, Radford's bench totaled 26 points, but was outscored for just the second time in the last 11 games as Chattanooga got 29.
  • Johnathan Burroughs-Cook did most of that damage, tallying a team-high 17 points for the Mocs. He had scored 23 in the team's season opener against Georgia, but only reached double figures one other time since.
  • Chattanooga, which again was without SoCon Preseason Player of the Year Casey Jones, still had three others contribute at least 11 points as it moved to 10-2, its best start since the 1993-94 campaign. The two-point margin was by far its closest in five home victories this season.
 
QUOTABLE
  • "When you're playing a quality opponent like that, you have to make sure you minimize your mental mistakes at both ends of the floor. The first half we gave them a couple looks in transition and they were able to extend the lead a little bit. The second half it was turnovers and defensive assignments in the halfcourt that allowed them to get one or two baskets here and there to stretch the lead out. It makes it tough to come back when you fight so hard and make one or two mistakes and they capitalize on it. Any time you have a one or two-possession game it's anybody's to win so we had our chances, but they made more plays than we did. This is gonna be a good tape for us to learn from. We can show our guys some great clips against a good opponent and some of the things that really cost us the win." ~ Radford head coach Mike Jones
 
UP NEXT
  • Following a short break for Christmas, Radford gets on the court for its non-conference finale, hosting Central Penn on Sunday.
  • Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center.
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