RADFORD, Va. – In a near carbon copy of their meeting one year ago, the Radford men's basketball team fended off N.C. Central, 82-74, on Carilion Clinic Court at the Dedmon Center on Saturday afternoon.
When the teams met for the first time in program history on Dec. 1, 2022, Radford earned an 80-78 victory in which they led 45-32 at halftime, but were outscored by the Eagles, 46-35, in the second half. This time around, the Highlanders grabbed a 46-33 lead at the half before the Eagles erased the deficit and posted a 41-36 advantage over the final 20 minutes.
Nevertheless, the Highlanders held on to win both games and improve to 7-4 overall during the 2023-24 campaign. NCCU drops to 4-7 in the loss.
D'Auntray Pierce played an incredible game, recording six blocks in the first half and finishing with seven to tie Tyrone Travis' school record. He added seven points and seven rebounds in a well-rounded showing.
An 11-point, 11-rebound performance from
Chandler Turner gave the grad transfer his second double-double of the season and fifth of his career.
Truth Harris (15 points),
Justin Archer (11 points) and
DaQuan Smith (12 points) all joined him in double figures.
The Highlanders were firing on all cylinders in the first half, playing up to their lofty potential on both ends of the floor. A 50.0% (15-30) shooting percentage from the field and a 91.7% (11-12) showing at the free throw line, plus seven blocks and four steals, added up to a 46-33 lead heading into the halftime break.
Senior guard
Bryan Antoine picked up where he left off following a career-high 30 points against Elon, scoring the first basket of the game with a three-pointer at the top of the key. He had 13 points by halftime and finished with 16 points and six rebounds on 4-of-9 three-point shooting.
He set a trend as all eight Radford players who saw the floor in the contest scored at least two points.
A furious second half comeback attempt from the Eagles had Highlander Nation holding its breath, as a 15-point deficit completely evaporated when the visitors tied the game at 52-all with 14:19 on the clock.
In a testament to the fight its shown all season long, Radford immediately answered with an 8-0 run to regain control.
An excellent performance at the free throw line kept the rest of NCCU's efforts at bay, as the Highlanders turned 23 drawn fouls into a 22-for-26 day on the charity stripe.
NOTES & STATS
- The Highlanders are now 2-0 all-time against N.C. Central and 4-0 in the Dedmon Center this season
- Radford earned a 43-to-29 advantage in total rebounds
- The Eagles scored 23 points off of 14 Radford turnovers
- Radford led for 38 minutes and 59 seconds out of a possible 40 minutes
PLAY OF THE GAME
UP NEXT
It's a quick turnaround for the Highlanders, who renew an old rivalry with VMI on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center. Fans are encouraged to bring unused stuffed animals to donate for the Carilion Clinic Teddy Bear Toss at halftime as well as celebrate Pulaski County night. Tickets are still available at RadfordTickets.com and 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' on Instagram or Radford Men's Basketball on Facebook.
