Men's Basketball 11/2/2018 10:00:00 PM

HIGHLANDERS GRAB 75-54 EXHIBITION VICTORY AGAINST WASHINGTON AND LEE

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RADFORD, Va. – Three Highlanders scored in double figures to lead the Radford men's basketball team to a 75-54 victory over Washington and Lee in a preseason exhibition at the Dedmon Center on Friday night.

The new-look Highlanders showed a lot of promise playing in front of a crowd for the first time since their NCAA Tournament run last season. Radford crashed the boards for a 42-to-27 rebounding advantage, racked up 15 assists on 28 made baskets, and paired 10 steals with six blocks on the defensive end.

Senior guard Caleb Tanner started hot and stayed hot, leading all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting including a 5-of-9 clip from beyond the arc. Redshirt sophomore guard Carlik Jones picked up where he left off last year, knocking down six shots for 14 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists.

It was junior guard Donald Hicks who may have shined the brightest though, as he recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double that also featured five assists and three steals. The last time he posted a double-double was Feb. 11, 2017 when he was a freshman.

Preseason First Team All-Big South selection Ed Polite Jr. brought his trademark intensity to the defensive end and provided the Highlanders with four steals and three blocks. He also made a dent in the stat sheet with eight points, four rebounds and three assists across a team-leading 27 minutes.

Junior JUCO transfer Devin Hutchinson showed Radford fans what they can expect from him in his debut season, tallying nine points on 4-of-7 shooting. Graduate center Mawdo Sallah made his presence felt in the post with seven points, five rebounds and a block while also making his debut.

Radford took control early on the night, jumping in front 6-0 on back-to-back 3-pointers from Tanner. The Generals fought back to make it 9-7, but the Highlanders went on a 9-0 run to more than double their opponents at 18-7 with 14:38 to go in the first half.

Hicks caught fire as well, scoring seven points over the next 10 minutes to ignite a 23-8 run that put Radford in the driver's seat for good. Following a 39-25 halftime lead, the Highlanders led by as many as 26 points in the second half before closing out the win.

UP NEXT
Radford kicks off the 2018-19 regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. when Davis & Elkins comes to the Dedmon Center. Season tickets, flex plans and individual game tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit RadfordAthletics.com and RadfordTickets.com or call the Radford Ticket Office at (540) 831-7889.

FOLLOW RADFORD MEN'S BASKETBALL
To follow the Radford men's basketball team, visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordMBB on Twitter, 'radfordmbb' Instagram or Radford Men's Basketball on Facebook.

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