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Men's Basketball

RADFORD TRAVELS TO USC UPSTATE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT BOUT

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Radford men's basketball team begins a tough stretch that features three games in five days with the first taking place on Thursday night against USC Upstate inside the G.B. Hodge Center at 6 p.m.
 
Radford (8-7, 3-0 Big South) has won five straight and look to continue the trend. Last week, the Highlanders topped Campbell on Saturday behind Carlik Jones and Travis Fields, Jr., who combined for 39 points. Jones led all players with 22 points going 3-from-4 from 3-point range and 9-for-10 at the charity stripe. Fields Jr., added 17, shooting 55.6 percent from the field (5-for-9) and hitting two 3-pointers. Both players made clutch free throws down the stretch as Fields Jr., added a solid percentage going 5-for-6 from the line.
 
Jones' star-studded performance helped him claim his fourth Big South Player of the Week honor. He has the most of any players in the conference and Radford has the most of any school in the league. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was tied for the team lead in scoring with 16.5 points, as well as added 4.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds in two outings last week. His 22-point performance against Campbell moved him inside the top 20 in total points scored at Radford. The redshirt junior currently has 1,190 points and looks to keep moving up the chart.
 
Fields Jr., has made his presence known the last four games averaging 16.5 points. He's hit a team-high 26 3-pointers this season – including 11 in his last five outings. The Portsmouth, Va., native has hit a 3-pointer in every game he's appeared in and has connected on multiple long balls in nine games. He ranks 15th in the Big South with 12.2 points per game and ranks eighth in assists averaging three per game.
 
Devine Eke is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the Big South. He's three blocks shy of recording 100 for his career. The Plainfield, N.J., native leads the Big South averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds per game.
 
His strong defensive play is one reason why the Highlanders have allowed the fewest points in the conference. Radford has held opposing teams to an average of 64.0 points per contest, ranking first.
 
The Highlanders have taken care of the ball on the offensive end and rank fifth in total turnovers (165) and 12th in turnovers per game (10.9). Along with the ball security, Radford has been shooting lights out from behind the 3-point line. The Highlanders have a 36.4 3-point percentage, which sits atop the league.
 
Radford and USC Upstate have only met one time prior to Thursday's meeting and it came last season inside the G.B. Hodge Center. The Highlanders won the first-ever meeting, 79-72, on Jan. 10, 2019. Jones tied for the team lead with 16 points for Radford, while Everette Hammond had 10 points in nine minutes of action for USC Upstate.
 
This season Hammond is averaging 17.8 points in his last eight games, including three 20-point efforts. He paces the squad overall with 14.4 points, followed by freshman Tommy Bruner's 11.6 and Bryson Mozone's 10.3. Mozone is the Big South's top three-point shooter with a 43.5 accuracy rate.
 
USC Upstate (7-9, 2-1 Big South) has won five of its last six games, and is off to a 2-1 start in Big South action with wins over Longwood and Hampton. Upstate has won its two Big South games this season by an average of 13.5 points. The Spartans are third in conference-game scoring averaging 77.0 points.
 
Thursday's game can be seen on ESPN+ or heard live online through Stretch Internet or radio outlets, WRAD 101.7 FM and WVRU 89.9 FM.
 
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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Players Mentioned

Travis Fields, Jr.

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.

G
5' 10"
Senior
Carlik Jones

#1 Carlik Jones

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Devine Eke

#30 Devine Eke

F
6' 8"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Travis Fields, Jr.

#11 Travis Fields, Jr.

5' 10"
Senior
G
Carlik Jones

#1 Carlik Jones

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
G
Devine Eke

#30 Devine Eke

6' 8"
Graduate Student
F