RADFORD, Va. – Hot shooting from start to finish carried the Radford Men's Basketball team to an 84-72 victory over Emory & Henry on Carilion Clinic Court at the Dedmon Center on Tuesday night, giving Darris Nichols his first career win as a head coach.
 
The Highlanders have now started the season with a win four out of the last five years and improved their record inside the Dedmon Center to 88-36 over the last nine years.
 
Sophomore Camron McNeil proved to be a major catalyst against the Wasps, leading the hosts with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Junior forward Rashun Williams and redshirt junior forward Dravon Mangum each added 13 points, going a combined 10-for-17 from the field and 6-for-11 from beyond the arc.
 
Backcourt duo Josiah Jeffers (11pts) and Bryan Hart (10pts) also reached double-figures in scoring, with Hart scoring the very first points of the season. The Hampton, Va. product knocked down a corner three just 16 seconds into the game.
 
After a close start to the in-state match-up, Radford pushed ahead with a 15-4 run that gave them a 28-12 lead with 8:46 to go in the first half. As would be a theme on the night, Emory & Henry refused to back down and battled back to close the gap to six points just three minutes later. A late run restored Radford's lead however, and the team took a 45-29 lead into the halftime break.
 
Aggressive defense by the Wasps that extended the length of the court kept the Highlanders off the scoreboard for the first three minutes of the second half, but McNeil was there to drive to the basket for a layup and regain the momentum.
 
Back-and-forth they went until the 13:37 mark of the second half when Radford embarked on a 26-10 run that put them ahead by 25 with just over five minutes left in regulation. Emory & Henry took advantage of a series of turnovers and closed the gap with a massive 20-3 run to make things uncomfortable late.
 
Jeffers and sophomore guard Tai'Reon Joseph stepped up in the moment though, and hit six straight free throws in the final minute to secure the win.
 
KEY STATS

• The announced attendance for Tuesday night's contest was 1,782
• Radford out-rebounded Emory & Henry, 35-29
• Sophomore guard Xavier Lipscomb was a solid all-around performer, contributing 5 points, four assists, three rebounds, and four steals
• Shaquan Jules went 3-for-3 in the paint and led the team with six rebounds
• Chyree Walker missed the preseason exhibition game with an injury, but made his return against E&H and played five minutes that left him feeling in good health

 
NICHOLS GOES 1-0
Nichols begins his career as a collegiate head coach with a victory, making him the eighth coach in Radford men's basketball history to lead the Highlanders to a win. He only needs 192 more wins to match Ron Bradley's record of 193 which he recorded between 1991 and 2002.
 
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Winthrop 110, Mary Baldwin 78
Hampton 101, Mid-Atlantic Christian 51
South Carolina 78, USC Upstate 60
UNCG 57, N.C. A&T 53
Clemson 64, Presbyterian 53
Charleston Southern 118, Johnson & Wales 71
 
NEXT UP
The Highlanders will quickly up the ante when they travel to Charlottesville this Friday to take on the Virginia Cavaliers. The showdown with the 2019 National Champions is currently scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
 
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.