RADFORD SEEKS RETURN TO WIN COLUMN AT LONGWOOD THURSDAY

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SETTING THE STAGE

Following consecutive losses, the Radford men's basketball team will look to get back on track Thursday night when it makes the trip over to Farmville to take on Longwood at 7 p.m.
Series History: Radford holds a 17-7 lead in the all-time series after the teams exchanged road wins last year. The Highlanders are 6-6 all-time in Farmville and 2-2 since the Lancers joined the conference.
Last meeting: Longwood 92, Radford 81 (Feb. 27, 2016)
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HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 8-10, 3-3
Ed Polite, Jr. needs five more rebounds to reach 400 for his career, having played in just 48 games. The sophomore has averaged 8.2 per contest as a Highlander, reaching double digits a total of 15 times, including eight this season. Five is his lowest single-game total of the campaign.
Polite, Jr. ranks 30th in the nation with 9.8 rpg, while averaging 10.4 ppg and is coming off of back-to-back double-doubles, his sixth and seventh of the year to share the league lead in that category.
Justin Cousin had team-highs in points in each of the last two games and now leads the team at 10.7 per game for the season. In Big South play, Cousin is averaging 14.5 ppg – ninth in the conference – has made a team-most 20 3-pointers, including at least five in three of the six games.
Randy Phillips is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game in conference play – tied for seventh in the league – and he leads the way against Big South foes with 4.2 offensive rebounds.
Phillips has totaled 34 boards over the last four games, including 23 on the offensive end, to regain the team lead with 56, two ahead of Polite, Jr. Both rank in the top 46 in the NCAA in per game average.
As a team, Radford's leading rebounding average in league games is up to 41.2, including 14.0 offensive. The Highlanders have not been outrebounded in a game since North Carolina – a span of 10 straight contests. They stand 34th nationally in offensive rebounds per game.
Caleb Tanner has reached double figures in scoring in five of the last six games, remaining over double digits on the season at 10.4.
Christian Bradford is still third in the Big South in assists, both for the season (3.6) and in conference play (4.3), while coming off a career-high 11-rebound effort Saturday.
In the loss to Liberty, Radford followed its lowest scoring half of the season with its highest-scoring second half (47).
Radford has not lost three straight games in the same season since opening its 2014-15 Big South schedule 0-3.

SCOUTING LONGWOOD

Record: 6-11, 3-3
After opening up conference play with three wins, Longwood has dropped its last three games, on the road at Winthrop and UNC Asheville and, most recently, at home to Gardner-Webb (85-79) on Saturday.
The Lancers' three conference wins came at home vs. Campbell and Presbyterian and on the road at High Point.
Redshirt junior forward Khris Lane has had a breakout season individually, ranking third in the Big South with 16.2 ppg, fourth with 7.6 rebounds and second in field-goal percentage (53.5). In league play, Lane is averaging 21.7 ppg while leading the way in field-goal percentage (59.1).
Senior guard Darrion Allen is second on the team with 13.8 ppg, while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range (38 of 102) and leading the Big South in minutes per game.
Lane and Allen have combined for 423 shot attempts on the season, 45 percent of the team's overall total.
Redshirt sophomore guard Isaiah Walton is averaging 13.5 ppg on 47 percent shooting, while leading the team with 53 assists (3.1 per game). In the six league games, Walton has tallied 14.3 ppg and shot 59 percent from the field.
Freshman forward JaShaun Smith has started 10 games (four in conference play), contributing 8.1 ppg.
In Big South play, Longwood ranks second in field-goal percentage (49.4) and sixth in scoring (71.7), but ninth in points allowed (77.5), eighth in rebounding (32.0) and ninth in rebounding margin.
The Lancers were outrebounded by Gardner-Webb 48-28 on Saturday, allowing 22 on the offensive end.