BATTLE OF THE BLUE RIDGE RIVALRY RENEWED TO OPEN 2019-20 SEASON

LYNCHBURG, Va. – It's been 613 days since Radford and Liberty met on the hardwood, but that number comes to a halt on Friday night as the two squads open the 2019-20 season inside the Vines Center at 7 p.m.

After a long 87 weeks people forget things throughout their life, but the 3,800-plus fans at the Dedmon Center could never forget what happened on March 4, 2018 when Carlik Jones rose up and knocked down a game-winning 3-pointer that punched Radford's ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Since 'The Shot', a full season of basketball has gone by and the Highlanders look to embark on a new journey - the 2019-20 season. The year has already gotten off to a promising start as the team was selected as the preseason favorite in the Big South and Jones was named the conference Preseason Player of the Year. Jones was also recently mentioned on the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List.

Along with the Cincinnati, Ohio, native the Highlanders return three of the five starters from a year ago – and all three were on the team when Liberty and Radford last faced off. One of those starters is Travis Fields, Jr., who had a stellar junior season and was named Second Team Preseason All-Big South.

The starting point guard averaged 29.8 minutes, 10.8 points, 3.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in 2018-19. Along with his 12-for-14 shooting performance and career-high 33 points at Hampton, he pulled down a career-high eight rebounds against Longwood last season. The Portsmouth, Va., native looks to build on his year of career-highs in his final go-round in a Highlander uniform.

Another returning starter is Donald Hicks, the returning leader in 3-point field goals from year ago. He shot 44 percent from beyond the arc and made 68 – just two shy of Caleb Tanner's 70. The two-way player averaged just under 30 minutes, nine points and four rebounds per game.

Radford also has some key contributors from last season returning in Devonnte Holland, Devin Hutchinson and Leroy Butts IV. Holland saw action in 32 games last season, including one start. The senior from Martinsville, Va., was efficient from the floor shooting 51.9 percent in 2018-19. Hutchinson provided 9.9 minutes, 4.1 points and 1.2 rebounds off the bench from last season and Butts IV saw action in 28 games.

Liberty bounced back from the heartbreaking loss in the 2018 Big South Tournament Final – its final game as a Big South member and is coming off one if its best seasons in program history. In their first season as an Atlantic Sun member, the Flames made it to the NCAA Tournament and knocked off Mississippi State in the first round to advance to the Round of 32 for the first time in four March Madness appearances.

The Flames were picked No. 1 in the ASUN Preseason Poll and Caleb Homesley was named ASUN Preseason Player of the Year. Liberty returns 74.8 percent of its scoring from last season including its top two scorers in Homesley and Scottie James – both of which were added to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List. Lastly, the Flames received five votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and two votes in the AP Top 25 Poll.

Seven of the 15 players for the Flames were on the roster when they last faced Radford. The Highlanders have five – including two that were in the starting lineup of that game. Radford holds an all-time 41-33 record over the Flames.

Radford returners John Caldwell, Cle'von Greene and Josiah Jeffers look to make a bigger impact this season. The Highlanders have also added grad transfer Devine Eke from Rider and Lewis Djonkam, who sat out last season due to NCAA Transfer rules, from VCU. Both are eligible to play immediately. Two of the three freshmen are local products from Radford High School in Quinton Morton-Robertson and Miles Jones. Kobe Tigney rounds out the freshmen class.

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Players Mentioned

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

#13 Leroy Butts IV: F; 6' 7"; Junior

#22 Lewis Djonkam: C; 6' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.: G; 5' 10"; Senior

#3 Cle'von Greene: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

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

#15 Devonnte Holland: C; 6' 7"; Senior

#0 Devin Hutchinson: G; 6' 5"; Senior

#4 Josiah Jeffers: G; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#1 Carlik Jones: G; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#13 Leroy Butts IV
: 6' 7"; Junior
: F

#22 Lewis Djonkam
: 6' 9"; Redshirt Sophomore
: C

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G

#3 Cle'von Greene
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

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

#15 Devonnte Holland
: 6' 7"; Senior
: C

#0 Devin Hutchinson
: 6' 5"; Senior
: G

#4 Josiah Jeffers
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: G

#1 Carlik Jones
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: G