USC Upstate USCU 8-12,5-4 Big South

Radford Rad 9-12,5-5 Big South

USC Upstate USCU

8-12,5-4 Big South

Final

Jan. 28, 2023

Radford Rad

9-12,5-5 Big South

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
USC Upstate USCU	6	11	8	14	39
Radford Rad	10	8	20	21	59

Summary
Box Score

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 1/28/2023 4:52:00 PM

Strong Second Half Propels Women’s Basketball Over USC Upstate

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford women's basketball program used a huge second half offensive push to dispatch USC Upstate Saturday afternoon 59-39. Before the game, Radford also honored one of the true inspirations of its community in Pebbles Smith as a part of the team's annual Play4Kay game.

Similar to when these two programs met up earlier this season, the first half was a defensive battle as both teams struggled to get any sort of offensive rhythm. Radford would take an early 4-0 lead though thanks to Ashlyn Traylor and Rachel LaLonde who kicked off their big games with a pair of made shots.

After being held scoreless for three minutes, another pair of makes by Traylor and Christ would have Radford up 8-2. Headed into the second quarter, the defensive battled continued as neither team scored back to back buckets at any point. LaLonde kept the pace for Radford adding another two makes as she finished the first half with six points, tied for a game-high with Traylor.

Radford would hold a slim lead 18-17 going into the halftime break, but made the offensive woes of the first half look like a distant memory after igniting the offense in all facets. After going 0-14 from three in the first half Radford would shoot a blistering 8-13 from three in the second half. Vanessa Blake got the scoring started in the second half and Traylor wasted no time hitting the team's first three of the game four minutes into the third.

Up 27-21, Radford never looked back. Carmen Williams and Olivia Wagner hit back-to-back threes to put Radford up 33-21. After four free throws by USC Upstate, the Radford swing continued as Panem nailed another three-pointer that put the Highlanders up 38-25 headed into the final quarter.

The threes would continue to rain down as Panem, LaLonde and Traylor all hit from deep again to make it a 9-2 run to open the fourth quarter. Leading 50-27, Radford just needed to close out the game over the final six minutes. LaLonde would hit another three-pointer at the two-minute mark that sealed her double-double and put Radford up 59-33. Some late made shots wouldn't be enough for the visiting Spartans, as Radford held on to win 59-39.

TALE OF TWO HALVES
Radford's offensive presence was night and day when comparing the two halves today. While just scoring 18 points in the first half, Radford shot 26% overall including an 0-14 mark from three-point range as shots just weren't falling down. Refusing to give in to what seemed to be a cold shooting game, the script flipped entirely in the second half. Radford would shoot 58% the rest of the way including an incredible 73% from three-point range over the final 20 minutes.

DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Today's game featured a pair of double-doubles by LaLonde and Traylor who were a presence on both the offensive and defensive ends. LaLonde put up an outstanding 12 points and 16 rebounds performance, just missing her previous career-high of 18 rebounds. Traylor did what she does best and filled in just about every stat category finishing the afternoon with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.

PANEM FUELING SECOND HALVES
Panem has been electric for the Highlanders the deeper games go as of late. Earlier this week after being held quiet through the first three quarter, Panem caught fire to set a new season-high in points with 14 against Longwood. Similarly today with the team needing answers from deep, Panem stepped up big in the second half scoring all nine of her points late in the game. The Broomfield, Co. native is heating up, now shooting 6-12 over the last three games from deep.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders will stick to the home court this upcoming Wednesday to open February against Presbyterian. In another rematch looking to reverse an earlier season result, the Highlanders will tip off against the Blue Hose at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Follow Women's Basketball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford women's basketball team, follow @Radford_WBB on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.

Print Friendly Version