Women's Basketball 1/9/2019 8:11:00 PM

RADFORD VISITS HAMPTON FOR FIRST-EVER BIG SOUTH MEETING ON THURSDAY EVENING

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SETTING THE SCENE
Radford (8-5, 2-0 Big South) vs. Hampton (6-7, 2-0 Big South)
Date: Thursday, January 10
Where: Hampton, Va. (Hampton Convocation Center)
Time: 5:00 p.m.
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HIGHLANDER UPDATE
Radford is in the midst of a difficult stretch of three games in five days. The Highlanders will host Winthrop on Saturday after defeating High Point on Tuesday evening. Radford and Hampton last met in 2010 and the Pirates came away with a 52-51 victory at the Dedmon Center.

LAST TIME OUT
Radford reversed an eight-point second half deficit and pulled away from the High Point Panthers, 80-58, on Tuesday evening at the Dedmon Center. The Highlanders outscored the visitors by a 49-19 margin over the last 13 minutes of the contest.

Redshirt junior Sydney Nunley, the reigning Big South Player of the Week, continued her dominant run as the center produced the Highlanders second 20-20 game of the season (Savannah Felgemacher, 21 points, 21 rebounds vs. South Carolina State). The Lewisburg, West Virginia native, who has now recorded four straight double-doubles, tied her career-high with 22 points and snared a career-best 20 rebounds on the evening. Nunley, who hit 9-of-16 field goal attempts, scored 15 points and secured 18 rebounds in the second half alone.

Senior guard/forward Destinee Walker also registered her second straight double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Walker went 7-for-17 from the floor and scored 13 points in the second half. Junior guard Khiana Johnson was also in double-figures (14 points) and distributed a career-high nine assists. Redshirt junior guard Jen Falconer added 11 points and a pair of steals.

WALKER HITS A GRAND
Walker became the 24^thHighlander to join the 1,000 Point Club at Mount St. Mary's last Wednesday evening. Walker has reached double-figures in scoring in 11 of 13 contests this season. She is currently 6th in the league in scoring at 14.2 pg. and is also ninth in rebounding at 7.0 pg. Walker is averaging 10.0 rebounds per game over her last four contests.

NUNLEY NAMED BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nunley has enjoyed a spectacular four-game stretch filling in for the injured Savannah Felgemacher at the center position and was rewarded with the Big South Player of the Week. The redshirt junior averaged 17.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and a steal per game in the three games that were considered. Nunley, who converted 50 percent (18-of-36) of her field goal attempts, produced three double-doubles in leading the Highlanders to a 2-1 record. The Lewisburg, West Virginia native scored 10 points and produced career-highs in rebounds (15) and blocks (5) in Radford's Big South victory against UNCA on January 5. She opened her run with 19 points (8-of-11 fga) and 14 rebounds in a victory against Shepherd on December 29. The 6-foot-4 pivot followed that up with a career-best 22 points and snared 11 rebounds at Mount St. Mary's on January 2.

Nunley is averaging 18.3 points, 15.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game over her last four contests.

RIVERS AMONG THE NATION'S LEADERS
Rivers is 63rd in the country in rebounding (9.1 pg.) and is also tied for 101 (1.45 pg.) in blocks. She leads the conference in rebounding and is tied for fourth in rejections. Rivers also scored her 500^thcareer point at Mount St. Mary's last Wednesday evening.

DEFENSIVE MINDED
Radford is continuing to build on their tradition of great defensive play as they are currently allowing just 58.7 points per game, which is 74th in the NCAA. The Highlanders are limiting opponents to a .363 percent clip from the field (94th in NCAA) and .291 percent shooting from behind the arc (128th in NCAA).

ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Hampton is competing in their first season in the Big South Conference…The Pirates have defeated Charleston Southern and UNC Asheville on the road to open the league slate…Hampton averages 74.1 ppg. and are yielding 68.7 ppg…They led the league in blocks per game (5.0) and steals per game (12.3)…Ashley Bates is tied for second in the conference in scoring at 17.4 ppg. and leads the league with 4.2 steals per game…Laren Vanarsdale is fourth in scoring at 15.2. ppg.

UP NEXT
Radford will host Winthrop on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

FOLLOW RADFORD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
To follow the Radford women's basketball team, visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordWBB on Twitter, 'radfordwbb'on Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Jen Falconer: G; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

#45 Savannah Felgemacher: F; 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior

#4 Khiana Johnson: G; 5' 7"; Junior

#50 Sydney Nunley: C; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#10 Destinee Walker: G/F; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Jen Falconer
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: G

#45 Savannah Felgemacher
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#4 Khiana Johnson
: 5' 7"; Junior
: G

#50 Sydney Nunley
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: C

#10 Destinee Walker
: 5' 11"; Senior
: G/F