FARMVILLE, Va. – The Radford men's basketball team gave Big South-leading Longwood all it could handle, but the home side pulled away late in a 71-66 defeat in front of a sellout crowd at Willett Hall on Wednesday night.
 
With the game tied at 57-all and 5:41 left in regulation, the Lancers (22-6, 14-1 Big South) exploded for an 11-4 run that gave them a 68-61 advantage. The Highlanders (10-17, 6-9 Big South) played it perfectly and had a chance to tie with the shot clock off, but a deep three-point attempt clanged off the rim.
 
The first 34 minutes of action were back-and-forth to the extreme, as Radford and Longwood changed leads 11 times and were tied 12 times. Neither team led by more than four in the first half and Longwood took a narrow 33-31 lead into halftime.
 
It looked as though Longwood may snatch the momentum away right at the start of the second half, hitting back-to-back threes to build an eight-point lead. The Highlanders weren't fazed, however, and immediately went on an 8-0 run to knot the game back up.
 
Handling the pressure of playing in front of a hostile, and very vocal, crowd without issue, Radford continued its run to 15-2, giving the visitors a 46-41 lead. Longwood bounced back from their set back, bringing the game to its exciting conclusion.
 
Rashun Williams and Josiah Jeffers led the Highlanders with 17 points each. Williams went 7-for-13 from the field including a trio of threes while adding six rebounds. Jeffers went 6-for-10 with three 3-pointer of his own.
 
Longwood got a game-high 18 points from Justin Hill – as expected – but also got a contribution of 14 points from Jesper Granlund – very unexpectedly.
 
KEY STATS

• Artese Stapleton matched his career high in assists with six
• Radford continues a great run of games without turning the ball over much at all. The Highlanders gave the rock away just seven times compared to 11 turnovers by Longwood.
• The Highlanders earned a 28-to-20 advantage in points scored in the paint

 
HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME  
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Presbyterian 68, Charleston Southern 48
Hampton 68, Campbell 66
High Point 78, N.C. A&T 58
Gardner-Webb 60, UNC Asheville 59
 
NEXT UP
The Highlanders play their final regular season game of the year when they take on North Carolina A&T inside the Corbett Center on Saturday, Feb. 26. The game is slated for a 5 p.m. tip and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
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.