BIG SOUTH'S TOP TWO TEAMS CLASH IN DEDMON CENTER THURSDAY NIGHT

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RADFORD, Va. – Thursday night's game at the Dedmon Center will feature the top two teams in the Big South standings as Radford takes on Winthrop for the second time this season.

SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Winthrop Eagles (17-9, 9-4 Big South)
Date/Time: Thursday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
Location: Dedmon Center (Radford, Va.)
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SERIES HISTORY
Radford owns a 39-36 advantage in the all-time series with Winthrop across 75 all-time meetings. The first contest between the two programs came on Jan. 19, 1985 when Radford defeated Winthrop, 68-49.

The Highlanders won two out of three games against Winthrop last season including a 61-52 victory in the Big South semifinals. Jones led the team with 16 points and a career-high six steals while Polite Jr. added 13 points and Fields Jr. scored 11 of his own.

In their first meeting this season, the Highlanders outscored the Eagles 51-30 in the second half to earn a huge comeback victory on the road. Jones recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for his fourth career double-double and Radford shot 52% as a team.

POLITE REACHES THE TOP
Senior forward Ed Polite Jr. has had the Radford program record for career rebounds in his sights for a while now and he finally reached his goal on Saturday night, passing Highlander legend Javonte Green (2011-15) atop the all-time list.

The Lanham, Md. native has pulled down 19 and 15 rebounds in his last two games respectively, pushing him to 1,067 for his career. Not only is he now the best rebounder in Radford history, but he ranks second in Big South history behind only Joseph Harris (2005-10) who recorded 1,152 rebounds at Coastal Carolina.

CARLIK'S HELPING HAND
Redshirt sophomore guard Carlik Jones has been fantastic in the assists category this season, tallying a career-high 144 across 24 games. The Cincinnati native ranks seventh in school history for single-season assists.

HALF A CENTURY MARK
The Highlanders were excellent on the boards at Charleston Southern, earning a 50-35 advantage in rebounds. It was the first time Radford has reached the 50-rebound mark since Dec. 9, 2017 against Erskine when the team pulled down 51 in the Dedmon Center.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Winthrop's offense is not only one of the most potent in the Big South, but in the entire country. Now in head coach Pat Kelsey's seventh season at the helm, the Eagles rank ninth in the nation in scoring offense with 84.6 points per game. They're willing to launch shots from just about anywhere on the court and are top team in the country with 324 made 3-pointers on the season.

Because of their fast-paced offense and high volume of shots, the Eagles also rank near the top of the charts in several rebounding categories as well. They are sixth in defensive rebounds per game (30.2), eighth in total rebounds per game (41.4) and 21st in rebounding margin (+6.2).

Senior guard Nych Smith has boosted his points per game average from 7.1 in 2017-18 to 17.5 in 2018-19 which currently leads the team. He also leads Winthrop with 3.7 assists per game while junior forward Josh Ferguson leads the Eagles in rebounding (7.4 per game).

NEXT HOME GAME
The Highlanders play their final regular season home game on Saturday, Feb. 23 when Hampton travels across the Commonwealth to the Dedmon Center. It's Senior Day as well so graduating Highlanders Ed Polite Jr., Mawdo Sallah, Caleb Tanner, Tristan Owens and Colton Southall (team manager) will all be honored in a pregame ceremony. Tickets can be purchased on RadfordTickets.com or by calling the Radford Ticket Office at (540) 831-7889 during business hours.

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

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Players Mentioned

#2 Javonte Green: F; 6' 4"; Junior

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

#2 Tristan Owens: F; 6' 5"; Senior

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

#20 Mawdo Sallah: F/C; 6' 8"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#2 Javonte Green
: 6' 4"; Junior
: F

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

#2 Tristan Owens
: 6' 5"; Senior
: F

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

#20 Mawdo Sallah
: 6' 8"; Graduate Student
: F/C