DAYTONA BEACH - The Radford men's basketball program got back to its winning ways with a hard fought 63-48 victory over Chicago State to open its stay at the 2024 Sunshine Slam on Monday morning.

With the win, Radford advanced to the championship round of the tournament's Ocean Bracket and will play Purdue Fort Wayne in the title game on Tuesday, November 26 at 6:30 PM ET on BallerTV.com.

The contest was won on the glass and at the charity stripe for the Highlanders, who held a substantial advantage in total rebounds (56 to 32), offensive rebounds (23 to 14), second chance points (21 to just six), made free throws (28 to 13), attempted free throws (34 to 23) and free throw percentage (82.4 percent to just 56.6 percent).

Radford held a slim 21-19 lead after 20 minutes of play before opening the half on a 14-5 run to extend its lead to 11 at 35-24 with 13:33 to play. Chicago State was able to pull within five at 39-34 with 9:17 left on the clock, but like they have all season, the Highlanders responded right back with another 9-0 run to keep it at a double-digit game for the rest of the contest.

Radford continues its best start to a season since the 2018-19 campaign.

THE FACTS
FINAL SCORE: Radford - 63, Chicago State - 48
EVENT: 2024 Sunshine Slam (Daytona Beach, Florida)
RECORDS: RU: 5-2 (0-0 Big South), CSU: 0-7 (0-0 NEC)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- David Early paced the Highlanders in both points (10) and steals (two) to go along with three rebounds. It was his third double-digit scoring game so far this season, and his second in the last three games played.
- The duo of Isaiah Gaines and Josiah Harris took over the paint in the win. Gaines (nine points, 10 boards, one helper, one block) and Harris (eight points, 11 rebounds, one assist, game-best three rejections) combined for 17 points, 21 boards, four blocks, and two helpers. The two were the big reason for Radford's 20 points in the paint overall.
- Truth Harris (nine points, five rebounds, one assist, one rejection) and Jarvis Moss (nine points, two boards, one helper, one swipe) each chipped in nine points a piece, respectively.
- Ibu Yamazaki got his first start of the year and added seven points, six rebounds, one block and one steal.
- Chace Davis (three points, three boards), Zion Walker (two points) and Tony Felder (one assist, one steal) also contributed for the Highlanders.
- Radford's depth was once again on full display with 10 student-athletes with at least two points. Thirteen different Highlanders checked into the contest overall.
- It was the most offensive rebounds recorded in a game by Radford in nearly seven years.
- The 23 offensive rebounds were the most in a contest since the Highlanders pulled down 24 offensive boards in a win over Erskine back on December 9, 2017.
- Against NCAA Division I competition, it was the highest offensive rebound total in a game since Radford grabbed 23 off the offensive glass against Howard all the way back on December 12, 2015.
- The Highlanders held an edge across the board in points in the paint (20 to 18), points off turnovers (11 to 10), fast break points (12 to seven) and bench points (27 to 24).

NEXT UP
It will be the Radford Highlanders and the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons in the championship game of the Sunshine Slam at 6:30 PM ET on Tuesday, November 26. The game can be seen nationwide on BallerTV.com and can be heard anywhere in the country on WRAD.

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