| Games 9 & 10: Charleston Southern (1-7, 0-4) vs. Radford (6-6, 5-1) |
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern welcomes another Big South founding member to Buccaneer Field House, this time in the form of the Radford Highlanders.
Despite Radford holding a lead in the all-time series, 18 of the last 22 matchups have been decided by 10-or-fewer points including a 77-74 overtime thriller in last season's only regular season battle.
Radford comes in fresh off a sweep of Commonwealth foe Hampton Jan. 4 & 5 while the Bucs dropped a pair to preseason favorite Winthrop after a schedule shift.
The Buccaneers and Highlanders have also met 11 times in postseason play dating back to the 1985-86 season including the last two Big South Conference Tournaments (2019 semifinals and 2020 quarterfinals).
Saturday and Sunday's two game set are the earliest the Bucs and Highlanders face one another since an 80-73 victory for Radford on Jan. 6, 2016 from the Dedmon Center.
Last Time Out
- Facing an unbeaten rival and down to seven players, Charleston Southern gave itself a chance in the final seconds Tuesday of another heavyweight fight between longtime rivals.
- Winthrop and Charleston Southern traded baskets and exchanged five leads in the contest before a three-point try came up just short giving the visiting Eagles a 78-76 win from Buccaneer Field House in an instant classic.
- Phlandrous Fleming Jr. backed his Preseason Player of the Year prediction with 33 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals but had to sit the final moments after a fifth foul. CSU wouldn't go away though as freshman Emorie Knox hit two clutch three-point baskets to make it a 77-76 Eagle lead with just 1:10 to play.
- A Charles Falden free throw with 12.1 to play set the stage for a chance to knock Winthrop from the ranks of the unbeaten, but a three-point attempt came up just short at the buzzer to give the visitors the sweep.
- Fleming's 33 points were just one shy of tying a career-high while Emorie Knox had 13 just one day after a career-best 15 Monday. Sean Price tied a career-high with 16 for the Bucs while Falden's 17 paced Winthrop and Kelton Talford added 12 in the win.
Scouting the Highlanders
- After a slow 1-5 start to the nonconference slate, Radford has flipped the switch in Big South play going 5-1 with sweeps of Longwood and Hampton and splitting with Presbyterian.
- Despite losing Carlik Jones to grad-transfer, Mike Jones and the Highlanders have continued their dominance of league opponents with their stifling defense allowing just 63.3 points to Big South foes. Radford is allowing just 62.8 points a night, nearly 10 points better than the second-best defense in the Big South.
- Offense has been scoring by committee this season for the Highlanders as Fah'Mir Ali is the lone Highlander in double figures at 10.4 points per contest. Even with the roster turnover from last season's regular season title, Radford still takes care of the ball with only 12.0 miscues per contest while playing the third-most games.
- Ali is just a freshman but has held his own for the Highlanders pacing them in scoring, assists and steals while playing the second-most minutes behind only Qui Morton-Robertson.
Series History
- It's been nearly two full calendar years since Radford traveled to Charleston Southern as five of the last six meetings have come inside the Dedmon Center or Big South Tournament.
- Since Mike Jones' arrival to the New River Valley, Charleston Southern has only hosted the Highlanders five times while making the trek to Southwest Virginia nine times.
- Radford's 50 wins all-time against Charleston Southern are the most by a Buccaneer opponent on the 2020-21 schedule and second-most behind crosstown rival College Charleston - a team CSU has played 85 times.
- Saturday and Sunday's meetings with Radford are the 80th and 81st meetings all-time between two Big South founding members who have played at least once every season dating back to the 1984-85 campaign.
A Series Win Would…
- Give the Bucs three-straight home victories over the Highlanders
- Be wins No. 28 & 29 in series history, the second-most versus one single program in the Big South
- Be program wins No. 111 & 112 against current Big South founding members (Campbell, Radford, UNC Asheville and Winthrop)
- Give the Bucs back-to-back wins to close their extended homestand
