Radford Readies For First Home Game Of 2020-21 Season

RADFORD, Va. – After playing its first four games on the road and having three others canceled, the Radford women's basketball team will play its first game in the Dedmon Center since last season when it takes on Presbyterian Wednesday afternoon.

The Highlanders are seeking their first win of the 2020-21 season after road losses to North Carolina, Marshall and Longwood (twice), but Radford has had plenty of success at home in recent years, posting a 72-25 record inside the Dedmon Center in head coach Mike McGuire's tenure. That figure includes a 47-7 mark over the last four seasons.

LAST TIME OUT
Extended runs to begin the second and third quarter propelled hot-shooting Longwood to an 84-55 win over Radford inside Willett Hall.

Ariel Williams led a trio of Highlanders in double-figures with 12 points. Tina Lindenfeld added 11, while Taiye Johnson had career highs with 10 points and a team-best eight rebounds.

Radford traded baskets with Longwood throughout the first quarter and Rachel LaLonde hit a jumper to pull the Highlanders within two, 17-15 late in the quarter. The Highlanders scored four of the final six points in the opening frame, including a three-point play by Danielle Montelbano, and only trailed by six, 25-19, after the first 10 minutes.

Longwood went on a pair of extended runs in the second quarter, including a 10-1 run to open the quarter, taking control of the game in the process. Lancer guards Kyla McMakin and Adriana Shipp combined for 17 of Longwood's 24 points in the quarter, as Radford trailed, 48-32, at the intermission. The Lancers then raced out on a 20-3 run to begin the third quarter and led by as many as 33.

Radford put together its best defensive quarter in the final frame, limiting Longwood to just 13 points on a 6-for-19 (31.6 percent) clip from the field and 1-for-5 from deep. Three of Johnson's team-high eight rebounds and six of Lindenfeld's 11 points came in the quarter, as the Highlanders matched Longwood's output with 13 in the period.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Presbyterian enters Wednesday's contest with a 2-2 overall record and a 1-1 mark in Big South play. The Blue Hose split its opening conference series against Gardner-Webb, taking the first game before falling in the second game. PC also features a road win against ETSU, while its lone road blemish this year came at Clemson.

Tionna Carter leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.8 points and 9.0 boards per game. Preseason all-conference selection Trinity Johnson adds 10.0 points per game and Nyah Willis chips in with 9.0 per game for the Blue Hose.

THE LAST MEETING
Sydney Nunley had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead Radford to a 65-39 win over Presbyterian on Feb. 1 inside the Templeton Center in Clinton, South Carolina. Khiana Johnson added 13 for the Highlanders, while Jen Falconer chipped in with 10. Trinity Johnson was the lone Blue Hose player in double-figures with 15.

Radford erased a slow start with a 44-point performance in the second half and its trademark standing as a strong defensive team continued, as the Blue Hose scored 13 points or fewer in all four quarters and had no more than 23 points in either half. A 15-1 run midway through the third quarter, with Nunley accounting for eight of the 15 points helped put the game out of reach in favor of Radford, which led by as many as 28 late in the fourth.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders and Blue Hose close out their two-game series with a New Year's Eve matinee at the Dedmon Center Thursday at 2 p.m.

FOLLOW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford women's basketball team follow @Radford_WBB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#30 Taiye Johnson: C; 6' 5"; Sophomore

#0 Rachel LaLonde: F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#2 Tina Lindenfeld: F; 6' 1"; Senior

#3 Ariel Williams: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#5 Danielle Montelbano: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#30 Taiye Johnson
: 6' 5"; Sophomore
: C

#0 Rachel LaLonde
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: F

#2 Tina Lindenfeld
: 6' 1"; Senior
: F

#3 Ariel Williams
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#5 Danielle Montelbano
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G