Men’s Basketball Meets UNC Asheville for Big-Time Big South Matchup

RADFORD, Va. – It will be a battle with two of the top three teams in the Big South when the Radford men's basketball team travels to UNC Asheville for a two-game series on Sunday and Monday. Tip-off for Sunday's game is 2 p.m., with Monday's slated for 3 p.m.

Radford (10-6, 9-1 Big South) is off to one of its best starts in conference play inside the Mike Jones era. With a sweep of UNC Asheville, the Highlanders will be off to the best start through the first 12 Big South games under Jones. The 2018-19 squad started 10-1 through the first 11 Big South games and had a 10-2 record through the first 12, marking the best since Jones has been at Radford.

It was a battle in the last series for Radford as the team erased a 16-point deficit and defeated Campbell, 97-91, in three overtimes in game one against the Camels and withstood a late comeback from CU in a 67-61 victory on Wednesday. Dravon Mangum scored 16 points in each of the two games. He leads the team with 12.7 points in Big South play.

Two other Highlanders are averaging in double-figures in Big South games as Fah'Mir Ali has 11.5 points per game and Lewis Djonkam adds 10.5. Chyree Walker is averaging 8.1 rebounds through the first 10 conference games. He had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds in Tuesday's meeting with the Camels.

Third-place in the standings currently, UNC Asheville (8-7, 7-3 Big South) enters with an 8-7 record and 7-3 in Big South play. Asheville's 79-75 victory at Gardner-Webb on Tuesday was the first since January 24, 2018, and the first in Boiling Springs since February 9, 2015. LJ Thorpe led the way with 21 points, scoring 14 in the second half. The two teams split the series.

Redshirt junior Tajion Jones became the 35th player in UNC Asheville men's basketball history to score 1,000 points with five against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday. Jones has been the most consistent scorer this season for the Bulldogs, leading the team with 17.3 points per game, ranking fourth in the Big South. He also ranks fourth in the nation in made 3-pointers with 54.

As a team, UNC Asheville is averaging 75.4 points per game, ranking second in the conference only behind Winthrop. The Bulldogs are also shooting 48.0 percent from the floor, which is also second in the league.

Radford has a slight edge in series, winning 38 games to Asheville's 37. The two sides have matched each other in the last six meetings, each winning three games apiece. Radford has won seven of the last 10 contests, including the last matchup at Radford, 79-64.

The two games can be seen on ESPN+ or heard on WRAD 101.7 FM or WVRU 89.9 FM.

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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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