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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
JoiWilliamsRecap1326
Rob Simmons
63
Winner Charleston So. ChaSou 4-11,2-0 Big South
59
Radford Rad 9-8,1-1 Big South
Winner
Charleston So. ChaSou
4-11,2-0 Big South
63
Final
59
Radford Rad
9-8,1-1 Big South
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Charleston So. ChaSou 8 15 11 29 63
Radford Rad 15 18 14 12 59

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Highlanders’ Hot Start Erased in Tough Loss to Charleston Southern

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford women's basketball team led for over 33 minutes of gametime, but a late offensive eruption by Charleston Southern and a collapse for the Highlanders resulted in a 63-59 loss on Saturday afternoon at the Dedmon Center.

KEY STATS
  • Charleston Southern ended the game on a 10-0 run and erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
  • Georgia Simonsen led Radford with 15 points, again tying a career-high in scoring.
  • The Buccaneers made six of eight three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
  • Charleston Southern won the rebounding battle 37-34 and outscored Radford 14-11 in second chance baskets.
PLAY BY PLAY
After a slower start by both squads, Angelina Nice hit Radford's first trifecta to make it 9-8 with a handful of minutes left in the opening chapter. That sparked a Highlanders run, with Joi Williams hitting from deep and then driving for a layup to beat the first quarter buzzer and make it 15-8 after one.

More easy baskets underneath from Simonsen, who had a quick eight points, forced the Buccaneers to take a timeout trailing 19-10 with just over seven minutes left in the second quarter. They responded well after the timeout, quickly putting together a 9-0 run to get within three and forcing a Radford timeout with 4:23 before halftime. Cate Carlson got going with six points, including a make from behind the arc, put the Highlanders up by double digits (33-23) at the break.

Radford extended their advantage with stellar defense and nice work in the paint in the third quarter. A three-point play by Simonsen and a Williams steal and layup forced the Buccaneers to take another timeout shortly into the quarter. Fouls began to pile up later in the third quarter, as Charleston Southern converted on several trips to the free throw line late in the chapter. However, a technical foul on the Buccaneer bench gave Williams a free throw chance after the quarter horn sounded, and she made one of two to put Radford ahead 47-34.

Williams and Anaiah Jenkins combined to score the opening four points of the fourth quarter, giving the Highlanders their largest lead of 51-34 with 8:28 remaining. That's when things went south. Three-pointers on consecutive trips put the Buccaneers within 11 with 6:48 left. Though Radford would find and hit shots inside the arc, three more three-pointers in just over a minute put Charleston Southern within six at the 4:03 mark.

For a moment, Simonsen's drive and layup inside gave Radford faithful assurance that they might pull it out with 2:27 left, up six. However, continued makes and a Courtney Davis three with 48 seconds left for Charleston Southern gave them their first lead since early in the first quarter, 60-59. Nice nearly had a steal and breakaway at the 20 second mark, but she lost control of the ball that gave the rock back to Charleston Southern. They would make one of two free throws to be up two with 16 seconds left. In the proceeding possession, a collision above the arc was called an offensive foul against Williams, and Charleston Southern proceeded to be fouled, make their free throws to go up 63-59. A host of shots failed to go down for the Highlanders, resulting in the 63-59 final.

McGUIRE QUOTABLE
"I have to credit Charleston Southern on how they finished the game," said Head Coach Mike McGuire in the postgame press conference. "I thought their fourth quarter was terrific. I think for us, we need to learn how to play with a lead. I think there's been several games here where we've had to fight up hill and get back into a game. So, being up 17 is never a time to relax. I think in the last 10 minutes, we got outplayed. I must do a much better job of teaching mindset. For some reason, we weren't connected and we weren't hearing each other today."

UP NEXT
The Highlanders are back in action next Saturday, January 10, against the preseason Big South favorites, High Point. Tipoff is at 2:00 p.m. from the Qubein Center on ESPN+.

Follow Women's Basketball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford women's basketball team, follow @Radford_WBB on X and Instagram or Radford Women's Basketball on Facebook.
#RadfordTough | #RiseAndDefend
 
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