Radford Falls To USC Upstate For First Home Loss of Season

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford men's basketball team dropped a home game for the first time this season, falling 65-60 to USC Upstate on Carilion Clinic Court in the Dedmon Center on Wednesday night.

After a DaQuan Smith jumper put the Highlanders (7-9, 1-2 Big South) ahead 50-48 with 7:54 to go in regulation, the Spartans (7-7, 2-1 Big South) took control with a 7-0 run that put all the pressure on the hosts.

Radford battled back to make it a two-possession game with just over a minute to go, but USC Upstate quickly responded to restore a lead that just couldn't be surmounted. The clock ran out and the Highlanders fell at home for the first time since Feb. 5 of last season.

Fans looking for stats that tell the story of the Highlanders' struggles on the night can look to free throw shooting and turnovers. Radford went just 8-for-15 at the charity stripe and turned the ball over 17 times, leading directly to 16 points for the Spartans.

Upstate committed 18 fouls in the game and failed to take advantage of its shots at the line as well, going just 10-for-21. But they shot 53.2% (25-47) from the floor, hitting them when it mattered most.

The reigning Big South Player of the Week, Smith led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a trio of three-pointers. Onyebuchi Ezeakudo had a well-rounded game, posting 10 points, four assists, and three rebounds.

Justin Archer notched a new career high in rebounds once again, pulling down 13 boards to make it four times in the last five games with double digits in the category.

The Spartans got 14 points from tenacious big man Khydarious Smith while Justin Bailey scored 12 and the duo of Mysta Goodloe and Trae Broadnax added 11 each.

KEY STATS

Bryan Antoine went just 1-for-6 from the field and 0-for-3 from deep, but helped in other ways with a season-high four assists
Radford easily out-rebounded USC Upstate, 35-to-25
Madiaw Niang had a team-best +12 =/- in the contest
The Spartans' bench out-scored Radford's 29-to-18 in an unusual turn of events

HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME

2H | 10:13
Radford 48, USC Upstate 44

Put this play in the Louvre! Just beautiful basketball from the Highlanders ??#RiseAndDefend?? x #BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/qFoUtKelfd
— Radford Men's Basketball (@RadfordHoops) January 5, 2023

AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Campbell 63, Gardner-Webb 58
Winthrop 82, Presbyterian 72
Longwood 79, Charleston Southern 74
UNC Asheville 76, High Point 72

UP NEXT
The Highlanders head back out on the road, this time to Boiling Springs, North Carolina where they'll face the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 7^th. 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.

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