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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
DelJones
Ethan Neal
75
Western Ill. WIU 0-1,0-0 OVC
80
Winner Radford Rad 1-0,0-0 Big South
Western Ill. WIU
0-1,0-0 OVC
75
Final
80
Radford Rad
1-0,0-0 Big South
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Ill. WIU 30 45 75
Radford Rad 36 44 80

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Hangs on, Defeats Western Illinois in Season Opener

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford men's basketball program held on through a late Western Illinois run Monday night to take their season opener 80-75 over the visiting Leathernecks. The victory marks the first in the Zach Chu era at Radford.
 
KEY STATS
  • Del Jones made his name known early and often, scoring a career-high 22 points.
  • After being outscored 11-2 in the first half on second chance points, Radford outscored Western Illinois 14-12.
  • Radford started just 2-11 from three, but shot at a better 36% clip in the second half with big makes from Jaylon Johnson and Brennan Rigsby Jr.
  • The Highlanders' fast paced offense was on display, scoring 18 points in the fastbreak.
  • Radford's defense outpaced Western Illinois in blocks 5-2, with four of those blocks coming in the first 20 minutes.
  • The season opening win is Radford's first since 2021, and first against a Division I opponent since 2015.
 
PLAY BY PLAY
Looking to set the tone early, the Highlanders wasted no time turning in some quick points off a turnover behind Dennis Parker Jr. Tied at 4-4, an impressive 12-0 run lifted the Highlanders to a lead that would hold for a majority of the opening half. Parker Jr. added more points at the free throw line while Louie Jordan added a three and Frederik Erichsen converted an and-one.
 
Out of a Western Illinois timeout, both squads traded points as Jones quickly racked up six points in the paint. Another make from Parker Jr. gave Radford their biggest lead of the night 22-9 with 9:53 remaining. The Leathernecks found their footing and closed the half strong scoring six unanswered. A shot at the buzzer seemed to go in off Rigsby Jr. on a quick offensive board put-back, but after video review the basket was waved and Radford led 36-30.
 
Western Illinois kept rolling out of the break, scoring 13 of the first 20 points in the second half. That knotted the game back up at 44-44, the first time the game had been tied since 4-4. The run continued, and suddenly Western Illinois was ahead 48-44 with 14 minutes to play.
 
The four minute scoring drought by Radford was ended by Jaylon Johnson who came alive. A couple free throws helped the senior get on the box score and he hit a big three to put Radford back ahead 49-48. Another trey by Rigsby Jr. flipped Radford's fortunes further as Rigsby Jr. followed that make with a long assist to Tyson Brown to reestablish Radford's lead.
 
Fouls would begin piling up on both ends as a free throw contest broke out. Big makes from Jones, Erichsen and Louie Jordan kept Radford pacing ahead. The Leathernecks wouldn't go away, hitting a three with 6:25 remaining that tied the game again at 62-62.
 
Out of a break, it was another big three from Rigsby Jr. that lit Radford's offense. Johnson added another big three and Jones helped put the game away at the free throw line as Radford held on in the 80-75 final.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders continue their 2025-26 campaign at home later this week when they host West Virginia Wesleyan on Friday, November 7th. Action begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ inside the Dedmon Center.

STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD MEN'S BASKETBALL
For all the latest on Radford Men's Basketball, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordHoops), Instagram (@radfordhoops), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Men's Basketball).
 
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