Men's Basketball 12/29/2017 12:00:00 PM

MEN'S BASKETBALL BEGINS BIG SOUTH PLAY AT PC

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GAME INFORMATION

SCHEDULING NOTE: Saturday's contest is the second in a Presbyterian basketball doubleheader. Their women's game begins at 2 p.m. and the men's game will begin approximately 45 minutes after the first game concludes
Opponent: Presbyterian Blue Hose
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 30^th at 4 p.m.
Location: Ross E. Templeton Center | Clinton, S.C.
Live stats
Live video (Big South Network)
Listen (SuperSports 101.7 FM)

SETTING THE STAGE

Saturday's contest marks the beginning of life in the Big South. Through the first half of the season, only two wins separate the top team (Liberty, 9-4) and the fifth team (UNC Asheville, 7-6) in the standings
The Highlanders ended non-conference play on a high note, winning the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic title with wins over N.C. A&T and UC Davis last week
Presbyterian is already up to seven wins after accumulating only five in the entirety of the 2016-17 season. Going 1-17 in conference play like they did last season doesn't look very likely for the Blue Hose

SERIES HISTORY

In 19 all-time meetings, Radford holds a 12-7 advantage over Presbyterian
The two programs first met in 2007 when they played twice in two weeks. The Highlanders topped the Blue Hose, 68-54, in the New River Valley on Nov. 11^th before Presbyterian got revenge with a 62-60 victory over Radford in Clinton, S.C. on Dec. 1^st
Last season, the Highlanders came out on top vs. the Blue Hose twice in two meetings. Ed Polite Jr., Donald Hicks and Justin Cousin all scored in double-figures in both games

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 7-6 (0-0 Big South) | RPI: 96
Radford is 5-0 this season when holding opponents between 60 and 69 points scored
The Highlanders are also a perfect 4-0 when playing on Saturdays
Head Coach Mike Jones earned his 100^th career victory last week when the Highlanders topped UC Davis, 72-62, in an overtime thriller
Redshirt freshman guard Carlik Jones was named Big South Freshman of the Week for the third time this season after a stellar showing in Radford's west coast swing
Junior forward Ed Polite Jr. became the 10^th player in Big South history to record 600 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals in his career after dropping 24 points, six rebounds, four blocks and two steals against UC Davis
His 24-point performance was the first time this season a Radford player has posted 20+ points in a game. Polite Jr. was also the last player to drop 20+ points in a game for the Highlanders, going for 21 in a loss to Winthrop on Feb. 1^st, 2017
Radford owns the third-stingiest defense in the Big South, allowing only 67.3 points per game
Junior guard Caleb Tanner has come off the bench to hit at least one 3-pointer in 11 of 13 games this season. He has hit multiple threes in 10 of those games

SCOUTING THE BLUE HOSE

Record: 7-6 (0-0 Big South) | RPI: 258
Presbyterian was picked to finish last out of 10 teams in the Big South preseason coaches poll
Dustin Kerns came to Presbyterian from Wofford in May and the improvement has been immediate. After going 5-25 in 2016-17, the Blue Hose are already 7-6 and sitting near the top of the Big South standings at the end of non-conference play
Radford and PC have had three of the same opponents this season. The Blue Hose lost to VMI (78-58), defeated N.C. A&T (73-70) and fell to Virginia Tech (63-55)
Redshirt senior guard Reggie Dillard ranks third in the Big South with 17.2 points per game
Redshirt junior guard Davon Ball ranks 12^th in the conference with 13.4 points per game, but more impressively, he leads the entire Big South with 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game
Presbyterian lives and dies by three long ball. They've made a Big South-leading 122 3-pointers this season
The Blue Hose sit last in the Big South in field goal percentage defense, allowing opposing teams to shooting 46.3% from the field this season
They're also last in the conference for blocked shots, averaging only 1.9 per contest