Women's Basketball 11/10/2016 4:00:00 PM

HIGHLANDERS TRAVEL TO GEORGE MASON FOR SEASON OPENER

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SETTING THE STAGE

The Radford women's basketball team gets its 46^th season underway Friday night when the Highlanders travel to George Mason of the Atlantic 10 Conference for a 7 p.m. non-conference showdown inside the EagleBank Arena
Series: Radford leads, 13-3
Last meeting: Radford 66, George Mason 63 Overtime (Nov. 13, 2015)
The Highlanders are 2-1 in season openers under head coach Mike McGuire.
Radford is 23-22 all-time in season openers.
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HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

2015-16 Record: 18-13
The Highlanders look to build off one of the best defensive seasons in program history after holding opponents to 53.3 points per game.
Radford ranked in the top 25 in six defensive categories a season ago.
McGuire's squad ranked fifth in field-goal percentage defense with opponents shooting a mere 33.3 percent from the field.
In the other five categories; Radford ranked 14^th in scoring defense (53.3), 15^th in 3-point field goal defense (26.7), 16^th in blocked shots per game (5.6), 21^st in rebound margin (8.1) and 22^nd in blocked shots (173).
A dominate force last year, preseason Big South first teamer Janayla White returns in the paint for the Highlanders. White was the only player in the Big South to average a double-double in 2015-16. The Virginia Beach, Va. native poured in 11.9 points per game and grabbed 10.0 rebounds per game.
White enters the season with 108 career blocks, ranking sixth in program history. Was the top shot blocker in 18 games, recording at least three blocks nine times.
Joining White as the only Highlander returning in double-figures, Jayda Worthy averaged 10.3 points per game.
Worthy is one of the best passing forwards in the Big South. A season ago, she averaged 2.6 dimes per contest, leading the team in 15 games.
Big South All-Freshman team honoree Lydia Rivers gives the Highlanders additional depth in the post as the Kinston, N.C. native ranked second on the team with 8.1 rebounds per game last season. Rivers pulled down at least 10 rebounds on 10 different occasions.
Radford sports eight guards on the roster, returner point guard Jen Falconer, who appeared in the first nine games of the season before having her season cut short due to a knee injury. Falconer received a medical redshirt after averaging 3.8 assists per game, the most by a Highlander in a single-season since 2011-12.
Redshirt sophomores Brittany Allen and Claudia Quevedo return for their redshirt sophomore seasons after missing the 2015-16 season. In her freshman campaign, Quevedo averaged 4.3 points per game and shot 84-percent from the charity stripe.
In 19 contests last season, Alexis Jackson averaged 5.5 points per game in 25.7 minutes a contest.
In addition to 11 returners, Radford welcomes two newcomers in freshmen Khiana Johnson and Charnissa Chillers.
Radford sports a roster of nine underclassmen, fourth youngest roster in the Big South.

SCOUTING GEORGE MASON

2014-15 Record: 13-19
The Patriots return seven letterwinners from their 2015-16 campaign, where they finished ninth in the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season standings.
George Mason's lineup will be bolstered by the addition of eight newcomers, including five freshmen.
The Patriots' roster is highlighted by six transfers.
George Mason was picked to finish 11th in the A-10 preseason coaches' poll for the second straight year.
Redshirt senior Kara Wright comes in as the team's top returning scorer after averaging 10.7 points a season ago.
Fellow redshirt senior Tiffany Padgett is back as the team's top returning rebounder after averaging 5.8 boards in addition to 7.4 points a game.
The Patriots will have to replace three-time A-10 All-Conference honoree Taylor Brown, who led the team with 15.0 points per game, 3.3 assists per game and 44 made 3-pointers.
Brown graduated as George Mason's second leading scorer with 1,693 points in only three seasons.
In addition to replacing Brown, George Mason will rely on Padgett to replace the scoring and rebounding role of Kristi Mokube. In 2015-16, Mokube averaged 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.
George Mason was 7-5 at home last season and 2-12 on the road.

UP NEXT

Radford heads to Davidson, N.C., to face Davidson on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. from the John M. Belk Arena
The all-time series is tied 3-3.
Radford won last year's Education Day special, 79-68.
Radford has played two Atlantic 10 foes in back-to-back seasons.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Brittany Allen: G; 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

#5 Jen Falconer: G; 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

#23 Alexis Jackson: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#11 Claudia Quevedo: G; 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore

#20 Lydia Rivers: F; 6' 2"; Sophomore

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

#22 Jayda Worthy: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#4 Khiana Johnson: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

#25 Charnissa Chillers: G; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#12 Brittany Allen
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#5 Jen Falconer
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman
: G

#23 Alexis Jackson
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#11 Claudia Quevedo
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#20 Lydia Rivers
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: F

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

#22 Jayda Worthy
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#4 Khiana Johnson
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G

#25 Charnissa Chillers
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: G