RADFORD, Va. – A pair of three-point attempts missed the target as time expired and the Radford men's basketball team dropped a physical, 73-72, contest against North Carolina A&T at Carilion Clinic Court at the Dedmon Center on Saturday evening.
With 20 seconds remaining in regulation, the Highlanders (5-9, 1-1 Big South) advanced the ball and called a timeout to draw up their play. A series of passes around the perimeter ended with a deep shot by
Bryan Hart, but it glanced off the rim.
Dravon Mangum corralled the rebound and kicked it to
Josiah Jeffers who got up a contested three, but it was no good.
Radford trailed by as many as 12 points in the game, including a 10-point deficit in the second half. A 12-2 run over a three-minute span brought the hosts all the way back and it was back-and-forth to the finish from there.
Lewis Djonkam made a clutch put-back layup with 1:29 to go to give Radford a 72-71 lead, but Demetric Horton struck back with the decisive basket at the 1:08 mark.
With each shot the Highlanders made down the stretch, the Aggies (7-9, 2-0 Big South) seemed to have an answer. They shot 56.8% from the field, 45.5% from three-point range, and 85.7% at the free throw line in a superb shooting display.
Despite the loss, Jeffers shined for the second game in a row. The Burlington, N.C. native scored a game-high 18 points and also led all played with eight free throws made, five assists, and four steals. Mangum supplemented the scoring with a season-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including four threes.
Radford valued the ball better than any prior game this season, turning it over a season-low 12 times. The Highlanders also matched their season high with 13 offensive rebounds.
KEY STATS
- A total of 38 combined fouls were called and the two teams shot a combined 47 free throws
- There were 14 lead changes and three ties
- Bryan Hart and Rashun Williams dished out a season-high four assists each
HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Gardner-Webb 78, Hampton 69
USC Upstate 82, Presbyterian 72
UNC Asheville 82, Charleston Southern 59
NEXT UP
Radford plays the second half of back-to-back home games when it welcomes the Longwood Lancers to Carilion Clinic Court at the Dedmon Center on Wednesday, Jan. 12. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. tip and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Tickets are still available for purchase at radfordtickets.com.
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.
