Gutsy Performance by Shorthanded Highlanders Not Enough in Overtime

Sunday, January 24

Asheville, N.C.

2 p.m.

Radford University

10-7,9-2Big South

UNC Asheville

9-7,8-3Big South

Team	1	2	OT 1	F
Radford	39	28	1	68
UNC Asheville	25	42	9	76

Photo by: Mark Godin

Gutsy Performance by Shorthanded Highlanders Not Enough in Overtime

1/24/2021 5:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Radford men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking, 76-68, loss to UNC Asheville on Sunday afternoon in Kimmel Arena.

Early in the second half, Radford (10-7, 9-2 Big South) held a 17-point lead. However, UNC Asheville outscored the Highlanders 42-28 in the second half and Taijon Jones hit a game-tying 3-point buzzer beater to force overtime.

From that point, Radford was unable to convert a field goal in the overtime period going 0-for-3 from the floor and committed two of its total 23 turnovers - a season-high. The Bulldogs outscored Radford 9-1 in the extra five minutes.

Playing without two starters and a key role player, the Highlanders knew they had to get off to a hot start and they did just that. The team made four of its first five field goals, including a 3-pointer each from Jordan Hemphill – who earned his first start as a Highlander – and Chyree Walker. Hemphill ended with a season-high eight points in the game. The hot shooting led to a 12-0 advantage for Radford through the first five and a half minutes.

UNC Asheville (9-7, 8-3 Big South) cut it to as low as four points midway through the first half but the Highlanders tough defense held the Bulldogs to just 24.1 percent shooting and had a 39-25 lead at the half. Quinton Morton-Robertson led the Highlanders with 10 points at the end of the first half and the team shot 65.2 percent from the floor and 55.6 percent from long range (5-of-9).

Radford extended the lead to as many as 17 early in the second half and then UNC Asheville went on a 19-4 run over the next 4:31 and cut the deficit to two, 50-48, with 11:31 in the game. The Highlanders then scored eight in a row and pushed the lead back to 10. Radford maintained a multiple possession lead until UNC Asheville hit three 3-pointers in less than a minute's time, including the game-tying basket by Jones.

It was the first tie of the game since the opening tip and the Bulldogs took their first lead of the game just 18 seconds into the overtime period. They shot 46.9 percent in the second half and went 9-for-17 from 3-point range (52.9 percent).

Stat of the Game
Radford held a lead for 87 percent of the game and UNC Asheville had the lead for 10 percent of the game. There were only two ties and two lead changes.

Inside the Box Score
Morton-Robertson led the Highlanders with 15 points and has made multiple 3-pointers in eight games. Xavier Lipscomb scored 14 points and corralled nine rebounds, both season-highs. He wasn't the only Highlander in double-double territory as Walker also had 14 points and nine rebounds. Radford shot 47.9 percent from the floor and scored 36 points in the paint. The Highlanders also outrebounded the Bulldogs, 41-31. UNC Asheville's DeVon Baker led all players with 26 points and five 3-pointers.

Tweet of the Game

1H | 18:35 • Radford 5, UNC Asheville 0

Jordan Hemphill gets going early! The birthday boy gives Radford an extended lead with a 3-pointer!#RiseAndDefend x #HUNT pic.twitter.com/PEux06iB5f
— Radford Men's Basketball (@RadfordMBB) January 24, 2021

Quotable
"We gave it everything we had," Mike Jones said. "I thought our energy was good right from the beginning. We knew how big of a lead we needed to get and we were able to do that for most of the game. They're defense is built to bring them back from deficits. We had a chance to finish off the game in regulation, but weren't able to do it."

Up Next
The Highlanders will look to even the season series with UNC Asheville on Monday at 3 p.m.

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.