RADFORD, Va. – Sunday is a day of celebration in Highlander Nation as Radford basketball legend, Javonte "Woo" Green, will have his jersey retired at halftime of the men's basketball game against Eastern Kentucky.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Eastern Kentucky Colonels (5-2, 0-0 ASUN)
Date/Time: Sunday, November 28^th at 4:30 p.m.
Location: Dedmon Center at Carilion Clinic Court (Radford, Va.)

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SERIES HISTORY
There has been just one previous meeting between Radford and Eastern Kentucky, an 83-75 win for the Colonels on their home floor back on Nov. 18, 2012.
 
Extremely fittingly for the 2021 edition of this series, it was Javonte Green who starred for the Highlanders in that game all those years ago. He led all players with 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting while adding nine rebounds and four steals.
 
SCOUTING THE COLONELS
Fans of college basketball in Southwest Virginia might not be overly familiar with Eastern Kentucky, but they really should be. Now in their first season as a member of the ASUN conference following a move from the Ohio Valley Conference, the Colonels have made major strides under fourth-year head coach A.W. Hamilton.
 
EKU went 22-7 overall and 15-5 in the OVC last year with notable wins over Big South schools USC Upstate, Charleston Southern, and High Point. Veteran guards Braxton Beverly and Jomaru Brown were both named to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team. In turn, the Colonels were picked second, behind Liberty, in the ASUN Preseason Poll.
 
This team is not shy about letting it fly from beyond the arc and the numbers back it up. The Colonels rank third in the nation for 3-point field goal attempts and 3-point field goal makes per game. They're also strong defensively, ranking top 10 in the country for both total blocks and total steals. They nearly defeated West Virginia on the road in their last game, coming up just short in an 80-77 final, thanks to that well-rounded approach.
 
JAVONTE "WOO" GREEN
A member of the Radford program from 2011-15, Green ranks first in program history for career games played (133) and career steals (243) while also ranking second for career points scored (1,911), career field goals made (701), and career rebounds (1,064).
 
The Petersburg, Va. native was an All-Big South Conference selection in each of his four years as a Highlander and was named Big South Defensive Player of the Year in 2014-15. After earning a bachelor's degree from Radford University, he went on to play professionally overseas with stops in Spain, Italy, and Germany.
 
In 2019, Green became the first player in program history to sign a contract with an NBA organization when he inked a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics. During the 2020-21 season, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls, re-signed with them in the summer of 2021, and has already become a fan favorite in the Windy City with his energy, defense, and electric slam dunks.
 
So far this season, Green has appeared in 19 games, including eight starts, for the Bulls. He's averaging 5.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and nearly a steal per game while shooting 51.3% from the field.
 
JULES' CROWN JEWEL
Junior forward/center Shaquan Jules has been a consistent force in the post for the Highlanders since first walking onto campus by way of USC Aiken. He averaged 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds a year ago and his numbers this season – 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game – are right on par. But the Orlando, Fla. native has taken a step forward in one major category: free throw shooting.
 
Jules has taken 20 free throws in just six games this season and has knocked down 16 of them. His 80% free throw shooting percentage is by far the best on the team, not something you'd expect from a 6'7" big man. This is a big leap forward from his 61.7% (37-for-60) in 2020-21.
 
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.