Women's Basketball 11/22/2023 10:00:00 AM

Women’s Basketball Set for Duo of Games at Puerto Rico Thanksgiving Clasico

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford women's basketball hits the sunny beaches of San Juan, Puerto Rico for their next pair of games this week in the Puerto Rico Thanksgiving Clasico.

GAME ONE - SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Indiana State Sycamores
Date/Time: Thursday, Nov. 23rd at 11:00 a.m. (ET) / 12:00 p.m. (AT)
Location: Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico

GAME ONE - FOLLOW THE ACTION
TV: Puerto Rico College Sports Tours ($)
Streaming: CLICK HERE
Live Stats: CLICK HERE
Radio: CLICK HERE or on WRAD 1460 AM / 103.5 FM

GAME TWO - SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: Northern Illinois Huskies
Date/Time: Friday, Nov. 24th 11:00 a.m. (ET) / 12:00 p.m. (AT)
Location: Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico

GAME TWO - FOLLOW THE ACTION
TV: Puerto Rico College Sports Tours ($)
Streaming: CLICK HERE
Live Stats: CLICK HERE
Radio: CLICK HERE or on WRAD 1460 AM / 103.5 FM

SERIES HISTORY
This week's games will mark the first-ever meetings between Radford, Indiana State and Northern Illinois. The Highlanders have never faced the Sycamores or Huskies before in their storied history.

SCOUTING THE SYCAMORES
Indiana State enters this Thanksgiving tournament with a season featuring highs and lows. Opening the year the Sycamores won a thriller in overtime at Northern Kentucky but have struggled as of late dropping three straight contests to Missouri, Illinois-Springfield and Wright State.

The Sycamores have struggled from three-point range shooting at just 19% on the season but still have a trio of players averaging double figures scoring. Fifth year senior Chelsea Cain (14.0 ppg) leads the team's offense while senior Kiley Bess (12.8 ppg) and sophomore Bella Finnegan (12.3 ppg) will also be names to watch.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
Northern Illinois will be the Highlanders' second opponent of the week and comes in with a 1-3 record with the Huskies primarily playing on the road so far. All three of the Huskies losses came away from the home court, but the program picked up its first win Tuesday night over Lindenwood 77-60.

The Huskies are shooting just under 40% on the year so far led by two double-digit point averages in Jayden Marable (14.5 ppg) and Laura Nickel (10.0 ppg). The free throw line has been generous for Northern Illinois so far as the team is a combined 34-43 (.791) but opponents have taken more trips to the charity stripe over that same stretch at 46-60 (.767).

LIMITED THE TURNOVERS
In the Highlanders last contest against UNC Greensboro the team marked their lowest regular season turnover total in over a year with just 11. Radford won the turnover battle forcing 16 turnovers by UNC Greensboro and turning those miscues into another game-high 13 points. Last season, in games where the Highlanders posted less than 15 turnovers the team went unbeaten at 5-0.

LEAVING THE MAINLAND
Radford leaves the continental United States for the first time since the 1986-87 season when the Highlanders competed in the Northern Lights Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska. The 1,560 miles that separate the Dedmon Center and Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum marks the Highlanders longest game away from home since the squad played in an MTE in Las Vegas, Nev. In 2017 which was 1,907 miles from the Dedmon Center. While Radford hasn't ever played outside of the country with Puerto Rico being a U.S. territory, they'll come close four games from now when they play at the American-Canadian border in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

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.

Print Friendly Version