GREENVILLE, S.C. – A tenacious defensive effort held the nation's ninth-best scoring offense well below its usual production, but the Radford men's basketball team ultimately fell, 81-64, to Furman in Timmons Arena on Friday night.
 
The Paladins (3-1, 0-0 SoCon) entered the contest averaging 95.7 points per game, thanks in large part to 15.3 three-point field goals per game which ranked third in the country. The Highlanders (1-3, 0-0 Big South) kept them to just nine threes on the night, instead picking the poison of free throw shooting.
 
While Radford shot a perfect 8-for-8 at the charity stripe, Furman drew 19 fouls and went 20-for-22 to rack up easy points. On the flip side, the Paladins were only whistled for nine fouls total.
 
Junior forward Shaquan Jules led the Highlanders with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including a pair of nasty dunks. Fellow forward Chyree Walker got his first start of the year and immediately made a difference on the boards, pulling down nine rebounds to give the team a 35-34 advantage overall.
 
Head Coach Darris Nichols' squad ran neck-and-neck with the high-octane Paladins for the majority of the first half, tying the game up at 10-all with 12 minutes on the clock and then trailing by a slim margin of 29-26 with 2:34 left until halftime.
 
Furman utilized a series of free throws and one long ball to end the half on a 9-2 run, pushing its lead to 38-28 at the break. Then, in the second half, every Radford comeback effort was met with an answer.
 
The Highlanders stayed within that 10-point deficit through the first several minutes, then chipped away slowly to make it 54-50 at the 10:08. That's when the Paladins took off, outscoring the visitors by 13 points down the stretch to pull away and secure the win.
 
KEY STATS

• Freshman Derrick Jones Jr. entered the game with 9:39 on the clock in the first half, marking his collegiate debut after healing from a preseason injury
• With one each from Djonkam, Walker, Jules, and Mangum, Radford posted a season high in blocks
• Tai'Reon Joseph earned his first career start in a Highlander uniform and led the team with two 3-pointers and two steals
• Rashun Williams was solid per usual, contributing seven points and seven rebounds

 
START FROM DEEP
With Tai'Reon Joseph's three-pointer from the wing to open the scoring, the Highlanders have scored their first points via the three-ball in all four games this season. Bryan Hart (twice) and Rashun Williams were responsible for the basket against Emory & Henry, Virginia, and Virginia Tech.
 
NEXT UP
Radford returns to Timmons Arena at 5 p.m. on Saturday to face-off with the Navy Midshipmen in a neutral site contest. Video of the game will not be streamed, but fans can follow along with Voice of the Highlanders, Rick Watson, as he calls the game on WRAD 101.7 FM.
 
FOLLOW RADFORD MEN'S BASKETBALL
To follow the Radford men's basketball team throughout the season, visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordHoops on Twitter, 'radfordhoops' Instagram or Radford Men's Basketball on Facebook.