CHARLESTON – Looking to snap a cold-streak in conference play, Charleston Southern Men's Basketball looks ahead to a new week of Big South Basketball. The Bucs will host Radford on January 29th at 7:00 PM, followed by another home contest against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, January 31st at 2:00 PM.

A brief preview of all three opponents can be found below:

Game #23

Opponent: vs Radford

Date: January 29th

Time: 7:00 PM

TV: ESPN+

• Last season, when CSU hosted the Highlanders in the Buc Dome, the Buccaneers secured a defensive victory, 58–54. This year's matchup will likely look very different, as both programs have drastically changed their style of play. CSU enters Thursday ranked 46th nationally in points per game (84.2), with Radford not far behind at 83rd (81.7).

• In addition to 13 new players, the biggest offseason change in Radford came at the head coaching position. Zach Chu was named Head Coach of Radford Men's Basketball in March 2025. Chu's only prior collegiate coaching experience was a one-year stint as Southern Methodist's Chief Strategist during the 2024–25 season.

• The Highlanders' coaching staff has also undergone significant expansion. Last season, the staff consisted of six members—from former head coach Darris Nichols to graduate assistant Nik Stadelman. This year, Chu's staff includes 11 members, an 83 percent increase.

• So far this season, Radford holds an 11–11 overall record and a 4–3 mark in Big South play. Last week, the Highlanders faced the conference's top two ranked teams, traveling to Winthrop (Jan. 21) and hosting High Point (Jan. 23). Radford narrowly fell at Winthrop, 76–75.

• Of Radford's 13 newcomers, the duo of Del Jones and Dennis Parker Jr. has emerged as All-Conference-level talent. Jones leads the team in conference scoring at 21.4 points per game, ranking fourth in the league. Through seven conference games, he has eclipsed the 25-point mark three times while shooting an impressive 51 percent from the field.

• Parker Jr. was an early favorite for the league's Newcomer of the Year award, highlighted by his 53-point performance against Coppin State on December 14. While he has not surpassed 20 points in Radford's last four contests, his 18.9 points per conference game rank second on the team and seventh in the Big South.

• Radford's representative at Big South Media Day was senior guard Jaylon Johnson. Johnson averages 11.6 points per game in league play, third on the team, and leads the Highlanders in both assists (3.3) and steals (1.4) per game.

• Radford leads the all-time series between the two programs, 56–30.

Game #24

Opponent: vs Gardner-Webb

Date: January 31st

Time: 2:00 PM

TV: ESPN+

• When the Buccaneers and Runnin' Bulldogs met in the Lowcountry last season, CSU earned a 72–63 victory.

• Last week, Gardner-Webb collected its first Division I win of the 2025–26 season, defeating USC Upstate 67–65. Forward Jacob Hogarth led the Runnin' Bulldogs with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double—his fifth of the season.

• On December 31, 2025, CSU and Gardner-Webb opened Big South Conference play against one another in Boiling Springs. Despite the Runnin' Bulldogs building a 17-point first-half lead, CSU rallied for an 89–79 victory. A'lahn Sumler paced the Bucs with 29 points in his first Big South appearance since March 2024. Luke Williams (16), Brycen Blaine (15), and Jesse Hafemeister (10) also scored in double figures in their conference debuts.

• Gardner-Webb is led by Head Coach Jeremy Luther, who has become a staple in Boiling Springs. Luther is in his 13th season with the program, spending  11 seasons as an assistant before being named the head man in March 2024. As the head coach of the Runnin' Bulldogs, he owns a 14–39 overall record.

• Gardner-Webb leads the all-time series, 27–10, although Charleston Southern has won the past three matchups.

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