Radford Falls After Strong Start at Virginia Tech

Sunday, December 12

Blacksburg, Va.

2:00 PM

Radford University

4-5,0-0Big South

Virginia Tech

8-3,0-0ACC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Radford	19	10	6	5	40
Virginia Tech	25	15	20	29	89

Radford Falls After Strong Start at Virginia Tech

12/12/2021 5:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Radford Women's Basketball program responded well to adversity in the first half of Sunday's game at Virginia Tech reducing their deficit to as much as two points but would fall late in a 40-89 final score.

It was an incredible first quarter for Bridget Birkhead that got Radford back into the game. Virginia Tech opened the day on a 9-0 run before Ashley Tudor broke the cold spell with a pair of free throws. Birkhead ignited the team following that with four straight three-pointers that made it just a 14-19 game. Birkhead hit another jumper and converted the and-one to make it just a 17-19 Hokies lead. Bryonna McClean added a bucket before the quarter ended as Virginia Tech led 25-19.

The continuous Virginia Tech assault continued into the second quarter as they hit each of their first four shots to make it a 15-point lead. Radford responded again, though, as Jackie Christ and Kyanna Morgan scored their first points of the day. Rachel LaLonde had the big shot of the quarter knocking down a three-pointer facing some serious heat from a Hokie defender that earned her the and-one. LaLonde converted the and-one, and it was just an 11-point deficit at the half.

Virginia Tech would pull away in the second half shooting a combined 53% to Radford's 15%. Radford got four straight points from Kyanna Morgan in the second half and a layup from McClean, but the team went cold allowing Virginia Tech to move ahead 60-35 at the end of the third quarter. Tudor and Carmen Williams scored in the final quarter of the game, but Virginia Tech continued their hot shooting to win 89-40.

Birkhead was the highlight in the point column for Radford after a stellar first half gave her a team-best 16 points. LaLonde and Morgan were the next highest-scoring Highlanders as they combined for 11 points. That same duo also led the team in rebounding as Morgan totaled six and LaLonde five on the day. The Highlanders shot decently from the free throw line and from three-point range once again today, shooting 75% on 12 attempts at the free throw line and 56% on nine attempts from beyond the arc.

QUOTABLE
"For the first half we battled and when Bridget got hot that definitely helped things a bit. The pace of our offense got too slow in the second half, we didn't cut and move the way we're capable of. We tried to do too much individually and that's something we've really got to work on this week before going down to Myrtle Beach. We had a lot of adversity faced today with players being out, so for us to be in the mix for a while was good on our part." -Head Coach Mike McGuire.

NEXT UP
The Highlanders will be back next weekend to take part in the Coastal Carolina Christmas Classic. Radford will face off with two teams, the first of which on Saturday when they play the College of Charleston at 4:30 p.m. Sunday features the nonconference finale of the regular season against Coastal Carolina, also at 4:30 p.m.

FOLLOW RADFORD WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
To follow the Radford women's basketball team throughout the season, visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @Radford_WBB on Twitter, 'radford_wbb' Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.