RADFORD HOSTS HIGH POINT SATURDAY AT NOON

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SETTING THE STAGE

The Radford men's basketball team begins a stretch of three straight televised games when it plays host to High Point Saturday for a 12 p.m. tipoff inside the Dedmon Center.
The matchup will air on American Sports Network (ASN) and can be seen locally on CSN Mid-Atlantic (Shentel Digital Channel 225 or Standard Channel 26).
Series History: Radford leads the series 22-19, but High Point swept the two regular-season meetings last season. The Highlanders are 13-7 in Dedmon and had won six of the last seven at home before the Panthers' victory last year.
Last meeting: High Point 75, Radford 72, OT (Feb. 20, 2016)
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Game Notes

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 9-10, 4-3
Coming off its third conference road victory Thursday night, Radford will look to end a two-game home losing streak and solidify its fourth-place position in the Big South.
Ed Polite, Jr. surpassed 400 rebounds for his career with 15 against Longwood, giving him 410 in 49 games. Javante Green, the program's all-time leading rebounder (1,064), hit the 400 mark in his 56th career game.
Polite, Jr. has three straight double-doubles, eight on the year and 14 as a Highlander. He is now back to averaging a double-double for the season and up to 24th in the NCAA with 10.1 rpg, along with his 10.6 ppg. The sophomore has totaled double-digit rebounds in nine games and at least 15 three times.
Polite, Jr. ranks in the top 10 in the conference in rebounding (1st), defensive rebounds (1st), offensive rebounds (2nd), steals (4th), blocks (7th), and minutes (8th). He also stands 11th in free-throw percentage (71.6), having improved nearly 20 percent over last season.
Justin Cousin has led the team in scoring in three straight contests and is averaging 18.3 ppg over the last four, while making 16 of 38 3-pointers. His team-high average for the season is now 11.1 and he ranks tied for seventh in conference play at 15.0.
Cousin has 46 3-pointers on the season – one less than team leader Caleb Tanner – and he has made at least three from long range seven times in the last 11 games.
Radford compiled a 130-85 rebounding advantage in the last three games, while totaling 47 on the offensive end, leading to a dominating 56-5 edge in second-chance points, including 41-0 in the last two outings.
The Highlanders have now outrebounded their opponent in 11 straight games and 16 of 19 on the season, ranking first in the Big South with 38.8 per game. In conference play, they lead the way with 41.4 per contest, 14.3 offensive and a +9.7 margin. Overall, they rank 28th nationally in offensive boards per game.
Individually, Randy Phillips is averaging a league-high 3.86 offensive boards in the seven Big South games, with Polite, Jr. third at 3.00.
Christian Bradford remains third in the conference in assists (3.47).
In league play, Radford remains second in made 3-pointers per game and percentage, while ranking tied for fourth in points allowed and field-goal percentage defense, third in blocks and fourth in assists.
The Highlanders are now 8-0 this season when leading at halftime, 9-2 when shooting 40 percent or better and 8-0 when scoring at least 70 points.

SCOUTING HIGH POINT

Record: 9-10, 3-4
After four straight losses, High Point has rebounded to win its last two games, a 33-point home rout of Presbyterian and an 83-78 victory at Campbell Thursday night.
The Panthers outscored Campbell 48-37 in the second half and put five players in double figures, led by Andre Fox and Anthony Lindauer with 16 points apiece.
Miles Bowman Jr. totaled 10 points and 13 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season, tied for most in the conference with Ed Polite, Jr.
Bowman ranks second in the Big South with 8.9 rebounds per game, while standing second on the team with 12.3 ppg. He leads the conference in free-throw percentage (89.2) and is fifth in offensive rebounds per game.
Fox is averaging a team-best 12.3 ppg, with Lindauer also in double figures at 10.7.
Lindauer has a team-high 39 3-pointers, shooting 42 percent behind the arc.
Jamal Wright stands second in the Big South with 3.8 assists per game, while contributing 9.1 points.
Tarique Thompson is averaging 10.4 ppg in conference games and 8.8 overall.
In conference play, High Point is first in rebounding defense, surrendering just 29.6 per game. The Panthers also rank second in points allowed (68.0) and rebounding margin and fourth in rebounds per game.
Offensively, they are third in free-throw percentage (76.8), but eighth in field-goal percentage (43.5) and scoring (68.0).