WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GEARS UP FOR THURSDAY QUARTERFINAL AGAINST GARDNER-WEBB

March 5, 2015 :: 6:00 p.m.
The HTC Center (3,600) :: Conway, S.C.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: Radford Sports Network
Live Stats: Link

Gardner-Webb (14-16)
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CONWAY, S.C. – Postseason play for Radford gets underway Thursday at 6 p.m. when the Highlanders square off against Gardner-Webb in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Big South Women's Basketball Championship inside The HTC Center.

RADFORD ROUNDUP
RU (17-12) enters the Big South Tournament as the No. 2 seed for the ninth time in program history. The Highlanders have a 13-4 record as the No. 2 seed.

Radford, which leads the head-to-head series, 10-7, has only met Gardner-Webb once in the postseason. The two sides collided in the 2009 Big South Tournament quarterfinals at the Millis Center in High Point, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs prevailed, 61-50.

Behind a 16-point victory on the road and a 10-point home triumph, the Highlanders swept Gardner-Webb during the regular season for just the second time in program history. In the Dec. 30 game in Boiling Springs, N.C., RU recorded its 650^th program win. Additionally, senior guard Ayana Avery scored her 1,000^th career point in the second half of the contest.

Avery and Aisha Foy both average double-figure scoring for RU at 10.7 and 10.2 points per game, respectively. The duo accounts for 75.8 percent (113-149) of the Highlanders' 3-pointers made. Avery leads the Big South with her 2.5 triples per contest and ranks fourth all-time in league history in career 3-pointers made (259).

Over in the rebounding department, Janayla White pulls down 7.3 caroms per contest. Her average ranks ninth in the conference. On top of her rebounding, White ranks third in the Big South in blocks per game, rejecting 1.8 shots per outing.

Jordynn Gaymon averages 7.2 rebounds per game, which rank 10^th in the Big South. The senior forward is only one board away from becoming the 18^th Highlander in program history to reach 500 career rebounds.

Paced by Avery's .385 clip from long range, Radford tops the Big South in 3-point field goal percentage (.344). Avery ranks second in 3-point shooting among Big South players.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB
The seventh-seeded Runnin' Bulldogs (14-16) advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to their 63-55 triumph over 10^th-seeded Longwood, Tuesday afternoon.

Gardner-Webb outrebounded the Lancers, 58-32, en route to a 20-4 advantage in second-chance points. The Runnin' Bulldogs' +26 rebounding margin was a Big South Tournament first-round record. Kiera Currie came off the bench to contribute a team-high 17 points. Candace Brown tallied a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Radford will look to keep hot on the perimeter against the Runnin' Bulldogs. In this season's two meetings, RU has converted 15 of 28 (53.6 percent) from 3-point land. Against Longwood on Tuesday, Gardner-Webb allowed the Lancers to fire 32 attempts from long range.

The Highlanders will be tasked with trying to limit one of the top rebounding teams in the Big South. GWU leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (17.3) and is tied for first in total rebounds per game (43.2). However, Radford was one of three Big South teams to outrebound the Runnin' Bulldogs in both meetings this season.

Olivia Parker and Jessica Heilig pace Gardner-Webb in the scoring column with 12.5 and 11.6 points per game, respectively. Parker also leads the team in rebounding at 8.4 boards each time out.

UP NEXT
With a win, Radford would advance to the tournament semifinals for the second time in three seasons and 19^th time overall. The Highlanders would face the winner between No. 3 seed High Point and No. 6 seed Presbyterian College in Saturday's second semifinal at 8 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#24 Jordynn Gaymon: F; 6' 1"; Senior

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

#24 Jordynn Gaymon
: 6' 1"; Senior
: F

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