Highlanders Fall to Gardner-Webb in Close Finish

Saturday, January 8

Radford, Va.

2:00 PM

Radford University

4-9,0-2Big South

Gardner-Webb

5-10,3-1Big South

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Gardner-Webb	18	15	20	24	77
Radford	23	16	17	18	74

Highlanders Fall to Gardner-Webb in Close Finish

1/8/2022 4:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

RADFORD, VA. – The Radford Women's Basketball program fell 77-74 to Gardner-Webb in a close game Saturday afternoon. Rachel LaLonde and Bryonna McClean had career-high point performances to fuel the offense in their Big South home opener, but the Runnin' Bulldogs used multiple big runs in the final two quarters to earn the comeback win.

The Highlanders opened the game strong holding leads at the end of the first and second quarters. LaLonde set the tone with a quick pair of three-pointers, but a handful of early fouls limited her to just eight minutes in the first half. Taiye Johnson also had her best game of the season and made her presence known in the opening ten minutes. Johnson scored six points playing a large role in giving Radford the 23-18 lead.

Ashley Tudor led the team with six points in the second quarter, with three straight made shots to end the quarter. Radford got free throws from Danielle Montelbano and McClean in between Tudor's made shots to bring a 39-33 lead into the half. Radford out rebounded Gardner-Webb 27-15 in the first half but struggled with turnovers giving the ball up 11 times.

Radford's six-point lead quickly evaporated in the second half as Gardner-Webb sprinted out with a 6-0 run to start the third quarter and tie the game. Three-pointers by Montelbano and Kyanna Morgan helped Radford reclaim a 45-41 lead. LaLonde returned to the court with three fouls and went the rest of the way without collecting her fourth foul. The clean play went a long way to help the Highlanders as LaLonde scored 10 of her 16 in the back half of the game.

With a slim 56-53 lead the Highlanders entered the fourth quarter getting scoring help with a Bridget Birkhead three and more fastbreak points from McClean. With a 65-61 lead, the Runnin' Bulldogs timed a 7-0 run perfectly to grab a lead they would not relinquish. Radford did not go out quietly, however, fighting in the last two minutes to bring the deficit back to as little as one.

LaLonde scored four straight points to make it a 73-71 game, and after a made basket by Gardner-Webb, McClean made a crucial steal and converted the and-one on the offensive end to make it a 75-74 game. Radford's final shot attempt came with the seconds ticking down but it wouldn't drop as the scoreboard read a 77-74 final score.

LaLonde's 16 points and eight rebounds highlighted the box score for Radford but the Highlanders also got double-digit point production from McClean's career-high 15 points and Johnson's season-high 10 points. Montelbano recorded her second straight game, third overall, with five or more assists. While Tudor fouled out late in the fourth quarter, she still managed to collect six points and seven rebounds on the day.

NEXT UP
The Highlanders are back on the road next Tuesday as they head to Big South newcomer North Carolina A&T.

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.