RADFORD, LIBERTY SET FOR BIG SOUTH QUARTERFINAL CLASH THURSDAY

Follow @RadfordMBB

SETTING THE STAGE

The sixth-seeded Radford men's basketball team will look to avenge a pair of close regular-season losses while advancing in the Big South Tournament when it faces No. 3 seed Liberty in a quarterfinal matchup Thursday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C., and the game will air on ESPN3.
The winner advances to Friday's 6 p.m. semifinal contest against either No. 2 UNC Asheville or No. 7 Campbell.
2016-17 Meetings: Radford overcame a 25-point deficit on its homecourt before losing in overtime on Jan. 14. In the rematch at Liberty on Feb. 4, Justin Cousin hit a tying 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left, but the Flames banked in game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Series History: The Highlanders still hold a 37-33 all-time lead. The teams have split the four meetings the last two seasons with an average margin of four points. Three of the four came down the final seconds, while the other one went to OT. The Commonwealth foes have met just three prior times in Big South tourney play, with the Highlanders winning two, including the last one in 2003.
Big South Tournament History: Radford is 23-28 all-time in the conference tournament, but is just 1-6 in its last seven games. The Highlanders' last four losses have each come by two points or less, with the most recent two being one-point decisions.
Live Video
Live Stats
Live Audio
Game Notes

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 13-17, 8-10
Radford was the only team to post wins over both regular-season co-champions Winthrop and UNC Asheville this year.
The Highlanders are looking for their first conference semifinal appearance since 2010.
Ed Polite, Jr. is coming off a career-high 19-rebound outing that gave him 510 in 60 career games. He is the 17th Highlander to reach the 500 mark and the first to do so as a sophomore.
Polite, Jr. finished the regular-season as the Big South's leader in rebounding (9.7) and double-doubles (14), ranking tied for 25th and tied for 21st nationally in the two categories.
The forward led the team with 11.7 ppg, 84 offensive rebounds (2nd in the conference) and 53 steals (4th in the conference). He was also second in blocks (30) and third in assists (58).
Polite, Jr. has scored in double figures in eight straight games (averaging 15.8 per contest) and posted double-doubles in four of the last five.
Justin Cousin was second on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg) and assists (62), while hitting a team-high 74 3-pointers, third-most in the conference. He averaged 2.9 treys per game and made at least three in 10 of the 18 conference games.
Donald Hicks has scored double digits in five of the last six contests and is now averaging 8.0 ppg.
Christian Bradford finished the regular season with 106 assists, ranking fourth in the Big South with 3.5 per game (3.8 in league play. He was tied for second with a 1.7 assist to turnover ratio.
Darius Bolstad recorded four blocks in three of the last five games, giving him 42 on the season, ranking third in the conference with 1.6 per contest.
Caleb Tanner remains third on the team in scoring with 9.0 ppg, while totaling 66 3-pointers to rank fifth in the league with 2.2 per game.
Radford outrebounded its opponents in 24 of the 30 games, including 15 of the 18 against Big South foes. In conference play, the Highlanders led the way with 39.2 rebounds, 12.6 on the offensive end and a +6.5 margin.
Defensively, Radford stood fifth in points allowed and opponent field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage.
In the two games against Liberty, four different Highlanders averaged in double figures, led by Cousin's 13.5. Polite, Jr., Tanner and Randy Phillips each averaged 10.5.
Radford shot 37 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point range against the Flames, but outbounded them 41.0-26.5.
The Highlanders were 1-1 in neutral-site games this year, defeating Stetson in overtime and dropping one-point decision to Georgia Southern.

SCOUTING LIBERTY

Record: 19-12, 14-4
Liberty dropped two of its last three games, falling on the road at Winthrop (84-67) and UNC Asheville (63-45), with wuin over Longwood (61-45) in between.
The Flames were held to 55 points or less in three of their last four contests and shot just 30 percent against Asheville in the regular-season finale, including 3 of 24 on 3-pointers.
Ryan Kemrite is the lone active player on the team averaging in double figures with 13.6 ppg. He totaled 71 3-pointers on the season, ranking fourth in the league with 2.4 makes per game while shooting 44 percent behind the arc.
John Dawson averaged 8.7 ppg, a team-high 2.5 assists per game and is the leading active rebounder with 4.3 per contest.
Lovell Cabbil was second on the team in scoring during conference play with 10.5 per game (9.0 overall). Cabbil averaged a team-best 12.0 points in the two games against Radford.
Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz averaged 9.3 ppg in league games, while leading the team with 3.1 assists.
Myo Baxter-Bell scored 8.4 points during conference play and tallied a team-high 18 in the Asheville game.
In conference play, Liberty allowed a league-low 61.5 ppg while ranking first in second in field-goal percentage defense and first in 3-point defense.
In the two regular-season meetings, the Flames shot an average of 42 percent from the field, but just 27 percent from 3-point range, but made 30 of 34 free throws (compared to Radford's 19 of 26).

For the latest on Radford Athletics, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Highlander Happenings.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#45 Darius Bolstad: C; 6' 8"; Sophomore

#14 Justin Cousin: G; 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior

#24 Ed Polite, Jr.: F; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#10 Caleb Tanner: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#3 Christian Bradford: G; 6' 1"; Junior

#5 Donald Hicks: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

#32 Randy Phillips: C; 6' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#45 Darius Bolstad
: 6' 8"; Sophomore
: C

#14 Justin Cousin
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#24 Ed Polite, Jr.
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: F

#10 Caleb Tanner
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#3 Christian Bradford
: 6' 1"; Junior
: G

#5 Donald Hicks
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G

#32 Randy Phillips
: 6' 8"; Junior
: C