CLINTON, S.C. – The Radford men's basketball program got back to its winning ways with an impressive 82-69 road victory over Presbyterian in a Big South clash inside the Templeton Center on Saturday afternoon.
Presbyterian started the game off with a slight 14-8 edge through the first four minutes of the contest. Radford responded right back to the early Blue Hose start however with a 9-0 run of its own to take a 17-14 advantage with 12:40 left in the first.
The two sides tied things up again at 19-19 at the halfway point of the frame, but it was all Radford from that point on as the Highlanders finished on a scorching 25-8 run over the final 10 minutes to take a 17-point lead into the half at 44-27.
Radford shot 69.6 percent (16-of-23) from the field and a blistering 60 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-10) heading into the locker room. The Highlanders also knocked down 85.7 percent (6-of-7) of their free throw chances in a near perfect opening 20 minutes.
Like the first period, the second half started off the same way with the Blue Hose taking a quick 10-4 run to make it a 48-37 contest. It was the closest Presbyterian would get though as Radford matched every run the Blue Hose would try to go on and closed out the final 16 minutes with a 34-32 advantage to secure the big 82-69 win.
The victory snapped a two-game losing skid for the Highlanders, who put themselves right back into the Big South race. Radford now sits at 4-3 in conference play and holds sole possession of fourth overall. The Highlands are just two games back from first place, one-and-a-half out of second and a single game from third.
THE FACTS
FINAL SCORE: Radford – 82, Presbyterian – 69
LOCATION: Templeton Center (Clinton, South Carolina)
RECORDS: RU 14-8 (4-3 Big South), PC 9-13 (2-5 Big South)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
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Jarvis Moss went off in this one with 24 points on an 8-of-13 evening from the floor (61.5 percent) and 6-of-10 (60.0) from three-point land. He also pulled down a season-best seven rebounds to go with an assist and a steal. It was Moss's fifth game so far this season with 23-plus points.
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Truth Harris was nearly perfect with 15 points, two boards, a helper and a swipe. The standout senior guard shot at rates of 4-of-6 from the field (66.7 percent), a perfect 2-of-2 from three (100) and 5-of-6 at the line (83.3).
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TJ NeSmith slammed home highlight reel after highlight reel dunk as he finished with 10 points, two rebounds and a steal.
- The trio of
Brandon Maclin (three boards, one assist, one steal),
Ibu Yamazaki (one block) and
David Early all chipped in nine points apiece, respectively.
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Zion Walker added a team-best three assists.
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Josiah Harris (five rebounds) and
Isaiah Gaines (four boards, two helpers, a rejection) also made their presence felt down in the block in the win.
- Radford barley cooled off in the second half as the squad shot at a 50 percent clip from the field (12-of-24), 57.14 percent from three (4-of-7) and 83.3 percent at the line (10-of-12).
- In total, the Highlanders went a blistering 28-of-47 from the floor (59.6 percent), 10-of-17 on three's (58.8) and 16-of-19 (84.2) at the charity stripe.
- Radford, who switched its starting lineup around for multiple games this season, got another big day from the entire team with 30 points off the bench.
- The game featured just two ties and one time the lead changed hands. The Highlanders led for 33:50 of the contest overall.
ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS
POST GAME PRESSER
NEXT UP
The Highlanders return to life on the road with a Wednesday showdown against UNC Asheville on Wednesday, January 29. Tip is set for 6:30 PM ET from inside Kimmel Arena. The highly anticipated conference clash between two of the Big South's best will be
played in front of a national audience on ESPN+and
can be heard anywhere in the nation on WRAD.
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