Women’s Basketball’s Big South Season Begins at High Point

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford women's basketball program kicks off the conference portion of its 2023-24 schedule with a visit to conference preseason favorites High Point this Wednesday.

SETTING THE STAGE
Opponent: High Point Panthers
Date/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Qubein Arena, High Point, N.C.

FOLLOW THE ACTION
TV: ESPN+
Streaming: CLICK HERE
Live Stats: CLICK HERE
Radio: CLICK HERE or on WRAD 1460 AM / 103.5 FM

SERIES HISTORY
Radford and High Point have become must-see Big South action over the years as the two programs vie for control of the Big South. High Point owns the overall series 34-23 and had won the last eight meetings until Radford snapped that streak with a huge 65-55 win at Dedmon in 2023. Current Highlanders Ashlyn Traylor-Walker and Olivia Wagner combined for 15 points in the contest as the team used an impressive 44% shooting performance to storm past the Panthers.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
The Panthers enter 2024 with a 5-8 record while boasting a strong 5-2 record at home. High Point earned big nonconference victories over Stetson, Wofford and Campbell while playing one of the toughest ranked schedules in the conference.

The high-powered Panther offense has averaged 60 points a game this season but has seen opponents average over 70 points. Preseason Player of the Year favorite Lauren Bevis leads the scoring efforts averaging 14.7 ppg thanks in part to a sharp 32% shooting from beyond the arc. Nakyah Terrell will also be a name to watch for the Panthers as she averages over eight points a game while leading the team with 39 assists.

NONCONFERENCE RECAP
With all nine Big South members finished with their nonconference schedules each team's first half of the season is complete. The Highlanders' opponent records combined for a whopping 95-65 (.594) which ranks third highest in conference. Radford opponents averaged an NET ranking of 197 which is almost 100 spots higher than the top NET ranked Big South squad UNC Asheville at 278.

TENURED COACHING
The duo of head coaches in this contest, Mike McGuire and Chelsea Banbury, mark a meeting between two of the top three current longest tenured coaches in the league. Banbury and McGuire have both led their respective programs to conference titles over their time at the helm of their respective programs. McGuire has been named the conference's Coach of the Year three times in his career with Banbury earning the recognition once. While McGuire currently has the most wins among active coaches with 167, Banbury is second in that regard with 77 victories.

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.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Ashlyn Traylor-Walker: G; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#5 Olivia Wagner: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#11 Ashlyn Traylor-Walker
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Olivia Wagner
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

Players Mentioned

#11 Ashlyn Traylor-Walker

#5 Olivia Wagner

Players Mentioned

#11 Ashlyn Traylor-Walker

#5 Olivia Wagner