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Radford University Athletics

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Radford Athletics Communications
71
Winner Radford RAD 4-5
65
Abilene Christian ACU 6-3
Winner
Radford RAD
4-5
71
Final
65
Abilene Christian ACU
6-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Radford RAD 16 17 25 13 71
Abilene Christian ACU 8 20 18 19 65

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

RADFORD OPENS HOLIDAY CLASSIC WITH 71-65 WIN OVER ACU



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Radford 71, Abilene Christian 65
  • Records: Highlanders (5-4) | Wildcats (5-4)
  • Location: South Point Arena | Las Vegas, Nev.
 
LAS VEGAS – Radford held off a late Abilene Christian comeback as the Highlanders opened the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic with a 71-65 victory, placing three players in double-figures Thursday afternoon inside the South Point Arena.
 
The Highlanders were led by Lydia Rivers' third career double-double as the redshirt sophomore finished with a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. Rivers finished 7 for 11 from the field, while grabbing six offensive rebounds.
 
Coming off the bench to play 31 minutes, Destinee Walker turned in a team-high 19 points, while dishing out a season-high six assists. Providing big shots late in the game, Claudia Quevedo finished 4 for 4 from behind the arc to match a season best 15 points.
 
Leading 33-28 at halftime, Radford increased its lead with a strong third quarter, scoring 25 points. The Highlanders gained momentum with a 7-0 swing three minutes into the quarter. Following layups by Jayda Worthy and Rivers, Quevedo provided three points in the hustle category at the seven-minute mark.
 
She chased down an offensive rebound, throwing a long pass to Jen Falconer at the top of the key, then ran straight to the corner to drain a 3-pointer for a Radford 43-32 lead.
 
Following two Rivers' free throws and a Khiana Johnson jumper, Radford took a 13-4 run into the media timeout to command a 49-36 lead. The Wildcats chipped away at the deficit until Quevedo scored the final five Highlander points on a 3-pointer and a layup to beat the buzzer.
 
Trailing 58-46, Abilene Christian did not back down, opening the final frame on an 12-2 swing off of two 3-pointers by Dominque Golightly, cutting the once double-digit deficit to 60-58 with 5:25 remaining.
 
Walker ended an almost four-minute scoreless streak by the Highlanders with a jumper at the 4:31 clip and followed with two free throws to build Radford's lead back to 64-58.  
 
The Wildcats made one final run, this time a 7-0 swing as a Golightly jumper handed Abilene Christian its first lead (65-64) with 2:18 remaining in regulation.
 
Knocking down clutch 3-pointers in big moments through the game, Quevedo calmly drained her fourth to give Walker her sixth assist at the 2:01 mark, putting the Highlanders back up 67-65.
 
Radford's defense held the Wildcats to only three shots down the stretch and Walker tallied the final five points to hand the Highlanders a 71-65 thrilling victory in a wild second half.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
  • The last time Lydia Rivers tallied double-figures came on Jan. 16, 2016 in a 10-point effort at Longwood. Rivers' previous career best came in a 13-point performance against Liberty on Jan. 2, 2016.
  • Rivers now has five career games with double-digit points and three career double-doubles.
  • In the first half, Rivers had 12 points on 5 of 6 shooting and six rebounds.
  • Destinee Walker collected her fifth double-figure game with a season best 19 points.
  • She has now led Radford in points in three games on the season.
  • Claudia Quevedo scored 15 points for the second time on the season matched a career-high four 3-pointers.
  • Quevedo is 8 for 10 from downtown over the last three games.
  • Radford shot a blistering 49.0 percent from the field, making 25 of 51 attempts.
  • The Highlanders have shot over 40-percent three times on the season.
  • Corralling 35 rebounds, Radford turned 13 offensive boards into 16 points.
  • Both teams combined for 54 points in the paint.
  • Dominque Golightly finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Wildcats.
  • Abilene Christian forced 17 turnovers, scoring 20 points off the Radford miscues.
 
QUOTEABLE
  • "I really liked our third quarter play when we got up 15 points. Our team has to learn how to play with a lead like that. Today, we just relaxed too much in the fourth quarter. We made enough plays down the stretch and Claudia's [Quevedo] 3-pointer to give us the lead back was a big time shot. Lydia [Rivers] was more assertive on the offensive end today and her first half performance carried us into halftime." ~ Radford head coach Mike McGuire
 
UP NEXT
  • Former Big South foes, Radford and Towson will meet for the first time since Nov. 25, 2008 on Friday in a 12 p.m. PST/3 p.m. EST battle to conclude the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic for both teams.
  • The Tigers took a 59-53 victory on their home floor in the last meeting.
  • The two teams met in non-conference games in 2007 and 2008 with Towson collecting both wins.
  • Radford's last win over Towson came in the 1995 Big South Tournament semifinals with a 90-73 victory on March 10.
  • Towson leads the all-time series 7-2.
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