HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Highlanders head to North Carolina for their first Big South Conference road game versus the Panthers of High Point on Monday, Jan. 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Radford is currently riding a two-game winning streak after besting conference opponents Presbyterian and most recently Charleston Southern. Against the Buccaneers, the Highlanders scored a season high 72 points and held the opposition to only 35, a new season low in points allowed. This win gives Head Coach Mike McGuire's team their largest margin of victory this season of 37 points. The Highlanders had three in double digits as well as double-doubles from Amele Ngwafang and Sydney Nunley.
At the break, Radford as a team had already tallied a pair of season highs. Their 36 points is now the most first half points as well as 24 points that serves as the largest halftime lead this season. The Highlanders forced nine Buccaneer turnovers and scored four points off of those miscues. Radford maintained in control throughout the duration of the game holding possession for 37:38, with the game tied for only 2:22. To build off of the aforementioned Highlander defense, they were able to post eight blocks in the game. This outing ties their season high, which came at Morehead State. Hosting the Radford block party was Aiden Rainford, Johnson, and Nunley who all finished with two each. Makaila Wilson and Taiye Johnson joined in and rejected one shot each. This is T. Johnson's first block of her career with Nunley enjoying back-to-back two block games.
The last time this duo of Ngwafang and Nunley had double-doubles in the same game was at South Carolina State. Ngwafang tied her career and season high in points with 15 and added 10 rebounds. Nunley notched a season high day in points at 15 and tied her season high 11 boards. Both shot efficiently during the game, going for a combined 13-for-17 from the floor and 4-for-8 from the charity stripe.
K. Johnson is not to be left out of the conversation with her 11 points putting her in double digits with her teammates. She added a pair of rebounds, blocks, steals, and five assists through 25 minutes. This is seventh time this season that Radford has ended a game with three players in double digit scoring.
The last time High Point met Radford, a double overtime game ensued in North Carolina, with Radford able to outlast High Point 84-79. The Highlanders reversed a 15-point deficit to notch their eighth straight win and remain atop the Big South standings.
Lydia Rivers (17pts, 16rebs), Destinee Walker (16pts, 11 rebs), and Sydney Nunley (15pts, 11rebs) all had double-doubles for Radford. Khi- ana Johnson joined in on the double digit scoring to add 16 points.
For High Point, now graduated forward Shea Morgan led the way with a game high 22 points. The Panthers had players of their own with double-doubles, of those only one is a returner in Camryn Brown who posted 13 points and 10 assists.
A Radford win would give the Highlanders their third consecutive Big South Conference win and extend the winning streak to three games. A loss would improve High Point to 2-2 in conference play and put the Panthers on a two-game winning streak.
In NCAA DI women's basketball, Radford as a team cracks the top-100 teams in fewest fouls at 19th, 64th in fewest turnovers, and personal fouls per game at 100th. Khiana is 139th in assists/4th in conference and in assists per game 72nd/3rd in conference. Sydney Nunley is 191th/5th in conference for blocked shots per game. Amele Ngwafang is 197th/3rd in conference for rebounds per game.
Jen Falconer is seven games away from tying Jayda Worthy (2014-18) for career games played at 123. Falconer & Johnson continue to climb the career assists ladder, Johnson is eighth at 282 and Falconer is ninth at 278. Sydney Nunley has now solidified herself at No.7 in individual career blocks at 105.
High Point has played some tough opponents, starting off their season hosting Duke (L,57-93). The Panthers hosted instate foe, College of Charleston and fell in overtime by nine. Big South play commenced versus Campbell, followed by Winthrop. High Point was unable to come away with a win in those contests but notched their
Four different players scored in double digits for the third time this season to snap a five-game los- ing streak with an 85-46 win over the Spartans. Sophomore Skyler Curran led the team in scoring for the fourth straight game, dropping in 17 points, followed by senior Camryn Brown (16), freshman Callie Scheier (12) for the second-straight game, and RS-sophomore Zaria Wright scoring 11 to hit double digits for the first time since scoring 13 at American.
UP NEXT
Radford takes on instate Big South foe, Hampton on Thursday, Jan. 9th at 7:00 p.m.
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