RADFORD, Va. – The Highlanders play their second consecutive Atlantic 10 foe when they take on the Davidson Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Davidson Wildcats (7-2, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
Date/Time: Saturday, December 18^th at 1 p.m.
Location: John M. Belk Arena (Davidson, N.C.)

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SERIES HISTORY
Davidson made a brief appearance as a member of the Big South Conference from 1990-1992, leading to four match-ups between the two programs. The Highlanders came out on top in all four meetings, winning by an average of 13 points.
 
The first game took place in Davidson on Dec. 10, 1990 and the most recent contest was on Feb. 22, 1992 in Radford. Clearly, today's teams are not quite the same as those who met all those years ago. 
 
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
It won't take long for Radford fans to notice that Davidson plays the game of basketball away from the rim. Extremely fitting for the home of all-time NBA 3-point leader Steph Curry, the Wildcats rank fifth in the nation with a 42.2 3-point shooting percentage and 44^th with 9.6 3-point field goals per game.
 
Also key to their success has been their ability to take care of the ball. Davidson ranks 10^th out of all Division I programs for fewest turnovers at just 91 through nine games. That puts them at 10.1 turnovers per game, which also ranks top-20 in the country, and contributes to a very strong 1.53 assist-turnover ratio.
 
Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection and projected NBA draft pick Hyunjun Lee leads the team with 18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. While Lee is shooting an impressive 41.3% from deep, Foster Loyer is the true sharpshooter on the team with an immaculate 56.0% mark from beyond the arc on 50 attempts.
 
STAPLETON'S EMERGENCE
Junior guard Artese Stapleton needed time to find his footing with the Highlanders after transferring into the program and then suffering a leg injury in the preseason. Now that he's healthy and more comfortable than ever in Coach Nichols' system, the Chicago native has finally begun to emerge.
 
Stapleton has been tabbed as the squad's starting point guard in each of the last six games, playing an average of 24 minutes per game over that stretch. He scored a season-high 10 points in a crucial victory over Eastern Kentucky and has posted back-to-back season highs in assists with five at JMU and six at George Washington.
 
One aspect of his game that some may not have expected is his ability to grab rebounds and transition Radford into offense quickly. Stapleton has multiple rebounds in 10 of 11 games this season and actually led the team in boards, with six, at JMU. For added measure, he has three steals in his last three games as well. 
 
DAY GAMES
Saturday's contest will mark Radford's third day game of the season. The Highlanders have gone 1-1 in previous day games in 2021-22 and were 3-4 in day games during the 2020-21 season. Over the last 10 years, Radford is 67-64 when playing day games, making the results a virtual toss-up.
 
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.