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Men's Basketball

RADFORD AIMS TO GET EVEN WITH GARDNER-WEBB



RADFORD, Va. – Radford's men's basketball team looks to continue protecting its home court against Big South opponents, while avenging its largest defeat of the season when it hosts Gardner-Webb inside the Dedmon Center on Sunday at noon.
 
The Highlanders have won all four conference home games and five in a row in the New River Valley overall, but are seeking an elusive second consecutive victory. Radford (11-9, 4-4) stands in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Big South, one game behind Gardner-Webb and Winthrop. The Runnin' Bulldogs (10-10, 5-3) have suffered two straight losses to drop into a tie for third.
 
SETTING THE STAGE 
LAST MEETING
Gardner-Webb shot 67 percent in the first half, including 7 of 12 from 3-point range, to take a 49-28 lead at the break en route to a 22-point victory on Jan. 9. The margin was the second-largest in the series between the teams and the largest victory for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
Gardner-Webb guard Harold McBride led all scorers with 24 points, making 8 of 12 shots and 3 of 4 3-pointers. Teammate Tyrell Nelson added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Ivey added 10 points, making three of his five long-range attempts.
 
Radford shot just 35 percent in the game and connected on just 6 of 22 attempts from behind the arc. Rashun Davis was the lone Highlander in double figures with 14 points.
 
In the battle between the Big South's top two rebounding teams, Gardner-Webb finished with a 39-38 edge.
 
HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
Cameron Jones' 35-point performance against Campbell on Wednesday was the highest scoring game for an RU player since All-American Art Parakhouski tallied 39 against Liberty in 2009. Since being reinserted into the starting lineup, Jones has averaged 20.3 points while making 13 of 26 3-pointers over the last three games. For the season, Jones now has six games with at least four 3-pointers and he ranks tied for fourth in the Big South with 2.5 treys per game.
 
Rashun Davis, the conference's active career assist leader with 402, also tops the league this season with 4.7 per game, while ranking eighth in scoring with 14.1 ppg and is second in steals at 1.9 per contest. Already with over 1,000 points and 400 assists, Davis is three rebounds away from 300 and three steals shy of 150 for his career.
 
Ed Polite, Jr.'s career-high six block outing against Campbell was his sixth game with at least three rejections, including each of the last three outings. In those contests, the freshman has averaged 13.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. In conference play, Polite, Jr. is third in the league in blocks (2.1) and fifth in rebounds (7.8). His 67 offensive rebounds on the season are tied for the conference lead with High Point's John Brown.
 
In its last three Big South games at home, Radford has shot 49 percent from the field, made 41 percent of its 3-point attempts, and averaged 83.0 points per game.
 
The Highlanders are second in the conference in rebounding (39.5) and tied for first with Gardner-Webb in offensive boards per game (14.1), with both ranking 21st nationally. RU is also second in the league in blocks.
 
 
SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB
The Runnin' Bulldogs have not won since the first game against Radford, dropping a tight 76-69 decision at UNC Asheville on Jan. 16, before falling at home against Winthrop, 71-58, on Wednesday. GWU struggled shooting in both games, hitting just 36 percent from the field against Asheville and 33 percent vs. Winthrop, while going a combined 10 of 44 (23 percent) from 3-point range.
 
McBride made just 5 of 25 shots and 1 of 11 3-pointers in those two contests, following his big game against the Highlanders. However, he remains second on the team in scoring (12.3), while ranking fourth in the conference in assists (3.6). He is now shooting 42 percent from behind the arc.
 
Nelson posted his Big South-leading eighth double-double in the Asheville game. He now stands sixth in the conference in scoring with 15.4 ppg, while leading the league at 8.1 rebounds per game. He is also second in field-goal percentage (56.5) and third in offensive rebounds with 66.
 
Dylan Poston is fourth among Runnin' Bulldogs in scoring with 8.4 per game and is coming off back-to-back double-digit efforts, including a team-high 15 against Winthrop.
 
Gardner-Webb holds a slight edge over RU in rebounding with 39.6 per game and also leads the way in conference play with 16.0 offensive boards per contest. The Runnin' Bulldogs have remained strong defensively, holding Big South opponents to 41.8 percent shooting and allowing just 68.0 points a game, both third-best in the league. GWU ranks eighth in the NCAA with 9.3 steals per game and totaled 11 in the first meeting. Guard LaQuincy Rideau is seventh in the nation individually with 2.7 swipes a game and recorded four against the Highlanders.
 
UP NEXT
Radford heads out on the road for its next two games, beginning with Wednesday's matchup at in-state foe Longwood. Tipoff in Farmville is scheduled for 7 p.m. 
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Players Mentioned

Rashun Davis

#5 Rashun Davis

G
5' 11"
Senior
Cameron Jones

#3 Cameron Jones

G
6' 4"
Senior
Brunswick CC
Ed Polite, Jr.

#24 Ed Polite, Jr.

F
6' 5"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Rashun Davis

#5 Rashun Davis

5' 11"
Senior
G
Cameron Jones

#3 Cameron Jones

6' 4"
Senior
Brunswick CC
G
Ed Polite, Jr.

#24 Ed Polite, Jr.

6' 5"
Freshman
F