RADFORD HOSTS HIGH POINT FOR PLAY4KAY GAME

RADFORD, Va. - The Highlanders (13-11, 11-4 BSC) will host the Panthers (11-13, 9-6 BSC) on Saturday, Feb. 22nd on ESPN3 for their Play4Kay game. Radford will look to not only continue their perfect 5-0 record in the month of February but seek the season series split against High Point, who took the initial matchup back on January 6th. The first 150 in attendance will receive a free t-shirt, while supplies last.

ABOUT THE PLAY4KAY
The vision for Play4Kay came directly from Coach Kay Yow. Through Play4Kay, she saw a vision to bring communities together and honor survivors in the fight against ALL cancers affecting women. It was basically a simple idea — take a game in your schedule and use it to fundraise for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. As Play4Kay evolved, the mechanisms for fundraising have expanded and so have the initiatives. Schools nationwide are finding ways to "Play4Kay" on and off the basketball court.

Most recently, Radford bested Longwood in an Education Day rematch inside the Dedmon Center back on Feb. 18th, 88-76. The Highlanders (13-11, 11-4 BSC) reversed, at its largest, an 11-point deficit versus the Lancers (10-14, 6-9 BSC). The early morning tip-off didn't slow down the pace of the game as the Highlanders were led by four in double figures—Khiana Johnson, Amele Ngwafang, Makaila Wilson, and Jen Falconer. Radford's 88-points are the most points scored this season en route to tying a season high in assists at 18. The Highlanders also set a new season high in field goals made in the contest at 29. Radford's 58 second half points is also the most second half points so far this season.

The quartet of Highlanders went off for a total of 59 points, led by Johnson's 18. She came close to having another double-double, with nine assists in addition to five rebounds. Wilson and Ngwafang each posted 14 points. Ngwafang added a pair of steals, a block, an assist, and seven rebounds. Wilson knocked down her shots from every spot on the floor, only missing once from beyond the arc. In season high fashion, Falconer's 13 points came in a diverse way from three-pointers and in close to the paint. Coming off the bench for a career day was LaLonde. Through her nine minutes played she tallied nine points. LaLonde had a steal, a rebound, and made her first three-pointers as a Highlander going 2-for-3 from deep.

The last time these teams faced off it was a slow start for Radford (4-8, 2-1 Big South) was surpassed by a 38-point second half rally that fell just short at High Point (4-9, 2-2 Big South), 68-58. The Highlanders outscored the Panthers 38 to 24 in the latter stanza, holding High Point to only eight points in the third. This rally pulled Radford out of the 24-point deficit accrued in the first half. With 31 seconds left on the clock, Tina Lindenfeld drained a pair of free throws to cut the Panther lead to 16. Radford built upon this momentum heading into the decisive fourth and final period of play. Bryonna McClean and Aiden Rainford were able to start the Highlanders off with back-to-back baskets. Jen Falconer and Makaila Wilson teamed up to drain consecutive three-pointers moments later, this cut the Panthers lead to seven.

Wilson came alive down the stretch and aided in trimming the High Point lead in the waning moments. Her fastbreak three ball and paint jumper were paired with a Falconer fastbreak trey, which cut the lead to six.

The Panthers pulled away from the Highlanders with six trips to the charity stripe, and were able to convert four times.

A Radford win would keep the Highlanders with perfect in the month of February, give Radford their longest winning streak of the season at six games, and extend High Point's losing streak to three games. A Radford loss would give High Point the season series sweep, snap the Highlander's winning streak, put the Panthers back in the win column after dropping a consecutive pair of games.

In NCAA DI women's basketball, Radford as a team cracks the top-100 in fewest fouls at 61st in fewest fouls, 45th in field-goal percentage defense, 82nd in personal fouls per game, 80th in rebound margin, 93rd in rebounds per game, and 39th in scoring defense. Khiana Johnson is 84th in assists and 81st in assists per game. Amele Ngwafang is 84th in free throw attempts and 186th in rebounds per game. Sydney Nunley is 150th in rebounds per game. Makaila Wilson is 238th in three-point field goals per game.

In the Big South Conference, Radford has five student-athletes who are making their names known. Khiana Johnson sits at fourth in assists, fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio, and in the top-15 in scoring. Aiden Rainford is thirteenth for offensive rebounds. Sydney Nunley is in the top-20 for scoring, seventh in blocked shots, eighth in offensive rebounds, and second in defensive rebounds/total rebounds/field goal percentage. Amele Ngwafang is fourth in total rebounds, in the top-15 in free throw percentage/blocked shots/defensive rebounds, and second in offensive rebounds. Makaila Wilson is third in three-point field goal percentage and eighth in three-point field goals made.

Since their first game against Radford, High Point has played 11 games going 7-for-2 in that span. The Panthers have dropped their last pair of games to Campbell (66-68) and Gardner-Webb (46-62). The Panthers opened the game with a steal and in transition basket to get the game's opening points. Senior Camryn Brown hit a three that gave HPU an early 5-4 lead, but Gardner-Webb responded, what became somewhat of a theme anytime HPU went on a run. The visitors went on a 13-3 run to open up a ten-point, 17-7 lead that they never relinquished.

Scoring was scarce for both sides to start the final quarter, with almost half the quarter elapsing until the first field goal was made, a triple from the GWU that turned into a four-point play after the foul. The Runnin' Bulldogs turned that into a 10-0 run before Brown knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to under 20, 58-39. The Runnin' Bulldogs showed why they have one of the best three-point defenses in the country, holding HPU to shooting just 14.3% from behind the arc. GWU's lockdown defense from deep was especially evident in the second half, not allowing High Point to hit a single shot from three-point land, missing all 11 attempts.

UP NEXT
Radford will remain at home to take on USC Upstate Tuesday, Feb. 25th at 6:00 p.m.

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

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#12 Bryonna McClean: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#35 Amele Ngwafang: F; 6' 0"; Sophomore

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

#14 Makaila Wilson: G; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#23 Aiden Rainford: F; 6' 1"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#12 Bryonna McClean
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#35 Amele Ngwafang
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: F

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

#14 Makaila Wilson
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#23 Aiden Rainford
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: F