RADFORD, Va. – Presbyterian mounted a massive second half comeback to recover from a double-digit deficit, handing the Radford men's basketball team a 78-70 loss on Carilion Clinic Court at the Dedmon Center on Saturday.
The Highlanders (7-15, 3-7 Big South) looked unstoppable for nearly 30 minutes of action, raining threes at a season-best clip and building a 54-43 lead with 13 minutes left to play. The Blue Hose (11-13, 3-6) completely flipped the script from that moment on.
Rayshon Harrison, the PC guard who entered the game ranked 10
th in the nation for field goal attempts, caught fire and ignited a larger 28-7 run over the next 11 minutes that would give the visitors a 71-61 lead late in the game. A last-ditch effort for Radford fell short, resulting in another tough result to swallow for a team playing with a ton of effort.
Senior guard
Josiah Jeffers recorded his ninth double-digit scoring game of the year, leading the Highlanders with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Burlington, N.C. native was extremely efficient, shooting 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from three, and 3-for-4 at the free throw line.
Fellow guard
Bryan Hart also had a big game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting – all of which came from beyond the arc.
The first half was all about trading runs, as the Highlanders set the tone early with a 7-0 run right from the jump. Presbyterian responded with an 8-0 run and later piled on with a 14-3 run that pushed its lead to 29-24.
Radford continued to look locked in however, using some unbelievable shooting accuracy to get back in front with an 8-0 run. The Highlanders made five of their last six shots in the half to take a 37-34 into the break.
While the Highlanders kept up their pace to begin the second half, PC made nine of its final 10 shots, and a series of free throws, to close out the game.
KEY STATS
- Presbyterian scored 28 points off of turnovers; Radford committed 14 turnovers in the game
- The Blue Hose also took advantage of 13 offensive rebounds, scoring 15 second-chance points
- Sophomore forward Joshua Walker came off the bench for the third time this season and recorded his first career block
- Xavier Lipscomb dished out four assists to lead Radford on the day
HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Gardner-Webb 69, North Carolina A&T 62
Campbell 80, USC Upstate 71
Winthrop at High Point - 5:30 p.m.
Longwood at Charleston Southern - 5:30 p.m.
UNC Asheville at High Point – 7 p.m.
NEXT UP
Radford once again hits the road, this time to Rock Hill, S.C. where it will take on the Winthrop Eagles on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7 pm. The game 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.
