RADFORD, Va. – The Highlanders will look to bounce back when they face off with Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C. on Saturday afternoon.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Campbell Fighting Camels (8-6, 1-2 Big South)
Date/Time: Saturday, January 15^th at 2:00 p.m.
Location: Gore Arena (Buies Creek, N.C.)

FOLLOW THE ACTION
Watch Live on ESPN+
Listen Live with Rick Watson on 101.7 WRAD
Get Updates with Live Stats

SERIES HISTORY
In a fiercely competitive all-time series, the Highlanders own a 26-21 advantage despite a 5-5 dead heat through the last 10 meetings.
 
The two programs first went head-to-head on Jan. 4, 1985 for a neutral site game in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The Highlanders eked out a 52-48 victory to begin a five-game winning streak against the Camels.
 
Campbell left the Big South for the Trans-America Athletic Conference (now called the Atlantic Sun Conference) in 1994, but returned in 2011. Since then, the Highlanders are 9-11 against the Camels.
 
In their most recent meeting, Campbell shot 58.8% from the field, 50.0% from three, and 84.6% from the free throw line en route to a 78-60 win. Bryan Hart dropped 16 points to lead the Highlanders.
 
SCOUTING THE CAMELS
Picked to finish first in the North Division of the 2021-22 Big South Preseason Poll with 20 of the 26 available first-place votes, Campbell is one of the strongest teams in the conference. The Camels proved to be stiff competition for Duke and VCU in the non-conference season, but suffered close losses to UNC Asheville and Winthrop to begin league play.
 
They righted the ship with a 67-52 win against Charleston Southern on Wednesday, however, leading wire-to-wire. The Camels shot 56.0% from the field while holding the Bucs to a 43.9% performance. Senior guard Jordan Whitfield led all players with 18 points and four assists across 38 minutes played.
 
Cedric Henderson Jr. leads the team with 12.7 points per game, but is joined in double-figure scoring by Jesús Carralero (11.1ppg), Whitfield (10.7ppg) and Ricky Clemons (10.4ppg). Campbell's calling card isn't its scoring, but rather it's superior discipline. The Camels rank seventh in the nation for fewest fouls per game, 18^th for fewest turnovers, and 32^nd for assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
EMPTY ARENA, FULL HEARTS, CAN'T LOSE
One thing to be aware of as you watch the game on ESPN+ is that Campbell Athletics is not allowing fans into Gore Arena for games through January 19^th. The university made the announcement on Jan. 4 that it would conduct all classes and programs through remote learning to begin the spring semester, leading to a similar announcement for athletics.
 
MANGUM MAGIC
Redshirt junior forward Dravon Mangum started 22 games for the Highlanders last season, but was not immediately made a member of the starting lineup under the new coaching staff. He didn't complain, kept working hard, and finally earned his way back into the rotation on Jan. 6 when Radford defeated USC Upstate in Spartanburg.
 
Mangum has now started three straight games for Radford and is having his best stretch of the season. The Roxboro, N.C. native tied his career high with 17 points against North Carolina A&T, and then followed it up with a 11-point, nine-rebound showing against Longwood. He now ranks third on the team with 22 three-point field goals made following a dazzling buzzer-beater from near half court to force overtime against the Lancers.
 
CLOSE CALLS
In the 12 non-conference games that Radford played this season, not a single one was decided by less than nine points. In fact, nine of the 12 contests featured a final scored that was separated by double-digits. But since Big South play has begun, all three games for the Highlanders have been settled by eight or less points, including a one-point loss against N.C. A&T on Jan. 8.
 
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.