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Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Williams3526
Jason Aigner
67
Charleston So. ChaSou 8-22,6-10 Big South
86
Winner Radford Rad 21-11,12-4 Big South
Charleston So. ChaSou
8-22,6-10 Big South
67
Final
86
Radford Rad
21-11,12-4 Big South
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Charleston So. ChaSou 14 13 20 20 67
Radford Rad 24 30 15 17 86

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Highlanders Tie Big South Record in First Half, Sink Buccaneers in Conference Quarterfinals

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – A banner reading 'Go Big or Go Home' hangs on the facade of the second level of the Freedom Hall Civic Center, prominently displayed in front of the arena's video board. The Highlanders saw this and chose to go big, tying a Big South Tournament scoring record in their 86-67 win over Charleston Southern in the quarterfinals on Thursday night. Radford now plays Longwood in the semifinals on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.

KEY STATS
  • The Highlanders tied a tournament record for points in a half, scoring 54 through the first 20 minutes. Only UNC Asheville in the 2006 quarterfinals (vs. High Point) and Coastal Carolina in the 2014 first round (vs. Charleston Southern) scored that many in a half, per the conference.
  • Joi Williams finished with 31 points to lead all scorers. It is the most points scored by a Highlander in the Big South Tournament since Patrinda Toney dropped 33 vs. Campbell in the 1992 finals.
  • Williams (31) and Georgia Simonsen (20 points) are the first Radford duo to score 20+ points in a Big South Tournament game since Lydia Rivers (25) and Destinee Walker (24) in the 2019 quarterfinals vs. Presbyterian.
  • Radford's 86 points and 19-point margin of victory are the largest in the Mike McGuire era. The previous scoring high was 81 points in the 2023 semifinals (L 81-89 OT) and the previous high in margin of victory was 72-57 win over High Point in the 2016 quarterfinals.
PLAY BY PLAY
After playing a game that turned into a race to 90 a few Saturdays ago in Charleston, the Highlanders and Buccaneers both had their feet on the gas early. Kirah Dandridge opened the scoring making a layup through contact on the first possession of the contest. The teams traded baskets and fouls through the early going with Radford holding a slim lead. Tyonna Bailey was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all attempts to get the Buccaneers within a point with 4:42 left in the first. That's when the Highlanders went on a quick 8-0 burst with Cate Carlson and Anaiah Jenkins scoring off turnovers. Angelina Nice joined the three-point party before Charleston Southern could answer. It was Radford ahead 24-14 after one.

The Highlanders followed the first quarter with arguably one of the best offensive performances in Radford women's basketball history in the second. It started with Simonsen and Ellie Taylor scoring in the paint, with Taylor coming back down the floor and sinking a pair of free throws to grow the lead to 16. Trading scores with Charleston Southern a few trips, Williams hit a huge three with 6:12 left to make it a 17-point lead. The Highlanders were really rolling when Dandridge came away with a turnover and found Williams. The all-conference first team member hit a huge step-back three from the top of the arc, then celebrated by throwing her arms in the air. Charleston Southern took a time out that did not stop Radford, as the Highlanders finished on a 13-6 run after that point to lead 54-27 at the break.

Radford scored each of the first four points from the floor to lead by as many as 32 points before the Buccaneers attempted to climb a mountain of a deficit. The seven seed got it down to 20 before back-to-back scores by Simonsen helped stem the tide. Radford was up 69-47 after three, still needing a good quarter to finish off their opponent.

Williams opened the fourth with her fifth three-pointer and Nice swiped in for a sweet put back to raise the Highlander lead to 27 points with 8:48 left. Radford attempted to slow the game down, but Charleston Southern forced several turnovers and went on a 10-0 run to cut it to a 17-point game midway through the fourth. Taylor stopped the bleeding by swishing a baseline jumper, and after a stop defensively, Simonsen hit one of two free throws to make it a 20-point game again with just over two minutes left. Williams added one more three to tie a career high with six before the final horn sounded.

McGUIRE QUOTABLE
"I felt tonight was a great game by (Radford)," Head Coach Mike McGuire said in the postgame press conference. "This team has played all year long. The offensive pace, the connection, the shot making, it was fun to watch. When you get to this time of the year you just don't what your team is going to do in tournament time. And this group of ladies was ready to play. Very happy to advance. Very pleased with how we played."

UP NEXT
The Highlanders are back in action on Saturday night, facing the winner of No. 3 Longwood and No. 6 UNC Asheville, in the Air Force Reserve Big South Tournament semifinals. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. (or at least 30 minutes following the previous game) from the Freedom Hall Civic Center. Fans can watch on ESPN+ or listen to WRAD Radford Sports Radio with Tom Purvis.

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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