","thumbnailUrl":null,"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Radford University Athletics","jobTitle":null},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Radford University Athletics","url":"https://radfordathletics.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://radfordathletics.com/images/logos/site/site.png","width":50,"height":50}},"about":null,"speakable":{"type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["article-content","article-headline"]}} MEN'S BASKETBALL CLOSING OUT LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT - Radford University Athletics
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Men's Basketball

MEN'S BASKETBALL CLOSING OUT LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT


 
Two games down, two to go. The Radford men's basketball team has completed half of the 2017 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic and still has games against North Carolina A&T and either Lamar or UC Davis ahead.
 
Today's preview takes a look at the teams still on the docket in Las Vegas.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
  • The Highlanders have dropped both games in the tournament so far, falling 62-77 against a very good Nevada team and 41-52 in a frustrating loss at San Francisco
  • Radford also played in this tournament during the 2013-14 season. The Highlanders fell to Santa Clara and UNLV before defeating Sacred Heart and Florida Gulf Coast
  • Both remaining games in the tournament will take place at the Orleans Arena inside the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada
 
HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
  • Record: 5-6 (0-0 Big South) | RPI: 153rd
  • Head Coach Mike Jones has a chance to secure his 100th career win at Radford on this trip. He's currently got 98 wins under his belt
  • That 98th win came against Erskine last week. The Highlanders held the Flying Fleet below 50 points scored, their first time doing that against any team since 2014
  • Radford also set season highs for points scored (76), field goals made (30), field goal percentage (47.6%), rebounds (51), assists (25) and steals (8) in that game
  • Redshirt freshman Carlik Jones has been Radford's top player on the west coast swing, averaging 15.5 points while shooting 52.4%, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in two games
  • The Highlanders need to get junior forward Ed Polite Jr. going to get the offense back on track. He's a combined 1-for-16 in two games this week
  • Radford's two-game skid is its first streak of any kind during the 2017-18 season
 
N.C. A&T GAME INFORMATION
  • Date/Time: Friday, Dec. 22nd at Noon PT/3 p.m. ET
  • Location: Orleans Arena | Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Live Stats
  • Listen
 
N.C. A&T SERIES HISTORY
  • The Highlanders lead the all-time series with the Aggies, 7-2
  • Their last meeting came on November 11th, 2014 when Radford topped N.C. A&T, 65-57 in the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic tournament
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES (N.C. A&T EDITION)
  • Record: 6-6 (0-0 MEAC) | RPI: 179
  • N.C. A&T went 3-29 overall and 1-15 in the MEAC last season, but a big reason for that was the decision to sit three top transfers for the entire season to get them acclimated and ready for the 2017-18 season
  • The Aggies were subsequently picked to finish last in the 13-team conference, but they've already doubled their win total from a season ago
  • Head Coach Jay Joyner is in his third season at the helm of the N.C. A&T program after taking over for Cy Alexander midway through the 2015-16 season
  • Like Radford, UC Davis and Lamar, the Aggies are 0-2 in this tournament after falling to Duquesne and Southern Illinois
  • Junior forward Femi Olujobi not only leads the Aggies in scoring, but he ranks 20th in the entire nation with 21.9 points per game
  • The Long Island, N.Y. native is also grabbing a team-high 8.8 rebounds per contest
  • Teammates Aaere Edmead and Devonte Boykins join Olujobi in double-digit scoring with 10.3 and 10.2 points per game respectively
  • 3-point shooting isn't exactly a strength for a Aggie team that is sitting at 30.6-percent from beyond the arc this season
 
FINAL GAME INFORMATION
  • Scenario: With a win vs. NC A&T, Radford will play the winner of UC Davis-Lamar and with a loss vs. NC A&T, Radford will play the loser
  • Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 23rd at either Noon PT/3 ET or 2:30 PT/5:30 ET
  • Location: Orleans Arena | Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Live Stats
  • Listen
 
UC DAVIS SERIES HISTORY
  • The Highlanders have gone head-to-head with the Aggies of UC Davis once in program history. It was a 63-67 loss for Radford in a tightly contested contest
  • That game took place on December 29, 2004 as part of the Shamrock Office Solutions Classic in Morega, Calif.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES (UC DAVIS EDITION)
  • Record: 7-4 (Big West) | RPI: 34
  • UC Davis was picked to finish second in the Big West Conference, trailing only UC Irvine in the preseason polls
  • Head Jim Les made his way to UC Davis from Bradley where he coached from 2002 to 2011. Interestingly, he was the first head coach in NCAA Division I history to win a game in four different postseason tournaments
  • The Aggies were riding a four-game win streak heading into the week, but have since dropped both games played in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic. Their two games were against San Francisco and Nevada just like Radford
  • Senior forward Chima Moneke leads the way, averaging a double-double with 19.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game
  • Many of Moneke's baskets have come on assists from junior guard TJ Shorts II who has by far the most assists on the team with 39
  • The Aggies are prone to being swatted away at the rim. Opponents have 40 blocks against them compared to 20 for UC Davis
  • UC Davis has only taken 168 shot attempts from 3-point range compared to 265 for Radford
 
LAMAR SERIES HISTORY
  • Radford and Lamar have never met on the hardwood
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
  • Record: 8-3 (Southland) | RPI: 120
  • Lamar was picked to finish 2nd in the 13-team Southland Conference Preseason Poll, garnering five first-place votes. Only Stephen F. Austin finished above them
  • Last season, the Cardinals posted an 19-15 record and made a postseason appearance in the CIT
  • Head coach Tic Price may be a name familiar to many Highlander fans. He's a native of nearby Danville, Va., played his college ball at VCU and Virginia Tech and began his coaching career at Roanoke College
  • The Cardinals are also 0-2 in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, dropping a 61-71 decision to Southern Illinois before falling 64-65 in a tight game at Duquesne
  • Lamar has dominated so far this season, outscoring opponents 77.6 to 63.8
  • Senior forward Colton Weisbrod leads the team in scoring with 14.6 points per game with an efficient 48-percent shooting percentage. He's also pulling down a team-high 9.0 rebounds per game
  • The Cardinals jump passing lanes well and have tallied 117 steals compared to only 62 for their opponents. Senior guard Zjori Bosha has 31 steals to lead the team while freshman center Jordan Foster has collected 25 steals of his own
 
For the latest on Radford Athletics, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Highlander Happenings.
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Carlik Jones

#1 Carlik Jones

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Carlik Jones

#1 Carlik Jones

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
G