BOX SCORE HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Radford men's basketball team struggled on defense all night in a 99-74 defeat against High Point at the Qubein Center on Saturday night.
UPDATED RECORDS
Radford: 13-14 (3-9 Big South)
High Point: 22-6 (11-2 Big South)
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Radford shot 41.4% from the field to put up 33 points in the first half, using a 9-for-15 clip at the free throw line to supplement the scoring, but the first 20 minutes of the game were all about High Point's Kimani Hamilton.
After going 0-for-6 from beyond the arc in the first meeting between these teams this season, Hamilton caught absolute fire from the moment the ball was tipped. The Florida State transfer scored 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting, including a 6-for-7 performance from deep.
Foul trouble kept Duke Miles, the conference's second-leading scorer, from getting on the scoresheet in the opening period, but it didn't change much as the Panthers scorched the net for 52 points on 58.8% (20-34) shooting from the field and 47.4% (9-19) shooting from three-point range.
The Highlanders couldn't connect on a three-point attempt of their own, digging a halftime hole eclipsed only by Radford's appearance at #18 Clemson earlier this year.
High Point's strong play continued into the second half, as the hosts went ahead by 24 points, 63-59, right before the Under-16 media timeout.
DaQuan Smith finally knocked down Radford's first three-pointer of the game with 11:44 left in regulation, helping the team go on a 11-5 run to cut into the deficit.
Even still, for every shot the Highlanders made down the stretch, High Point had an answer to protect its comfortable lead and finish the game without much drama.
KEY STATS
- Kenyon Giles scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He added five rebounds and four assists
- Josiah Harris (11 points, 6 rebounds), DaQuan Smith (11 points, 5 assists) and Bryan Antoine (10 points) all reached double figures
- Radford shot 46.8% (29-62) from the floor, but just 9.1% (1-11) from deep
- High Point won the battle on the glass, 50-to-27
OF NOTE
- Radford's losing streak is now at five games, resulting in sole possession of last place in the Big South standings
- With an overall record of 13-14, Radford is now under .500 for the first time this season since starting 2-3 on Nov. 20, 2023
- The Highlanders had not given up 50 points in a single half all season long, but did it in back-to-back periods – the second half against Winthrop on Thursday and the first half at High Point tonight
- Four games remain in the regular season
AROUND THE BIG SOUTH
Longwood 81, Presbyterian 73
Gardner-Webb 73, USC Upstate 65
UNC Asheville 86, Charleston Southern 55
UP NEXT
For the third and final time this regular season, the Highlanders will appear on ESPNU when they take on the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs next Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. inside Paul Porter Arena
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.
