Men's Basketball 2/8/2017 12:00:00 PM

RADFORD LOOKS TO SNAP STREAKS THURSDAY NIGHT VS. CSU

Follow @RadfordMBB

SETTING THE STAGE

The Radford men's basketball team will try to put an end to a pair of losing streaks Thursday night when it hosts Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. in the Dedmon Center.
The Highlanders have lost five straight games overall and five in a row at home since defeating UNC Asheville in the conference opener.
Radford and CSU are part of a three-way tie for sixth place in the Big South, with the top six teams earning first-round byes in the conference tournament.
Last meeting: Charleston Southern led nearly from start to finish in a 70-64 decision in Charleston on Jan. 11.
Series History: Radford still owns a commanding 44-27 all-time advantage. The Highlanders are 24-9 at home following an 80-73 victory last year.
Live Video
Live Stats
Live Audio
Game Notes

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 9-15, 4-8
Despite leading at halftime, outshooting and outrebounding Liberty in the game and tying a season-best for fewest field-goals allowed, Radford was unable to break through for the victory.
It was just the Highlanders' fifth loss in 35 games under Mike Jones when it has held an opponent to fewer than 60 points, with two coming this season.
Justin Cousin and Caleb Tanner added to their 3-point totals for the season, each making three to give them a combined 115 on the season. They rank third and fifth, respectively, in the Big South in makes per game.
Cousin returned to double figures for the ninth time in 12 league games and remains the team's leading scorer at 11.0 ppg. He has 60 3-pointers on the season and is second in conference play with 3.2 per game. The redshirt junior had a season-high 23 points in the first meeting with CSU.
Tanner is averaging 9.4 ppg and shooting a team-high 40 percent behind the arc.
Ed Polite, Jr. continues as the Big South's top rebounder at 9.4 per game, while ranking third in both offensive rebounds and steals per game. This season, the sophomore has led Radford in rebounds 17 times, steals 15 times and assists seven times, while averaging 10.6 ppg.
Christian Bradford's six-assist outing Saturday was his sixth game of the season with at least six dimes and eighth time he has dished out at least five. He remains third in the Big South at 3.5 per contest and 3.9 in league play.
Along with 10 points, Randy Phillips added four offensive rebounds against Liberty, giving him a team-leading 67 offensive boards on the season. He ranks second in the league with 2.8 per game.
Darius Bolstad hit his only two shots in the Liberty game, making him 49 of 69 (71 percent) on the season and 27 of 37 (73 percent) in Big South games.

SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

Record: 8-15, 4-8
Charleston Southern stopped a three-game losing streak with a 71-65 overtime win at home over Presbyterian on Saturday, despite shooting just 33 percent.
Christian Keeling tallied 22 points and nine rebounds in the victory and was named Big South Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season and third in the last four weeks.
Keeling ranks fifth in the conference with 16.7 ppg and 18.0 in league play. He is also seventh with 6.5 rebounds per game and sixth in field-goal percentage at 45.2.
Keeling scored a season-high 33 points in the win over Radford last month, making 11 of 19 shots and all eight free-throw attempts.
Armel Potter (12.0) and Cortez Mitchell (10.4) are also averaging in double figures for the Buccaneers, while Potter is fifth in the league in assists (3.3).
Javis Howard leads the conference with 76 offensive rebounds (3.3 per game) and is eighth in overall rebounding at 6.3. He also averages 8.4 ppg, but is at 10.1 in league play.
CSU stands fourth in the conference in scoring (72.5), but ninth in points allowed (75.2), while ranking fifth in rebounding, eighth in field-goal percentage and sixth in field-goal percentage defense.
The Buccaneers are 2-9 on the road and 1-4 in Big South play.