Women's Basketball Returns to Buc Dome in Search of First Conference Win

CHARLESTON, S.C. - After nearly pulling off their first conference win on the road against High Point on Wednesday, the Charleston Southern women's basketball team is looking to finish the job on Saturday as the Radford Highlanders visit the Buc Dome.

The Bucs (2-14, 0-5 in conference) are looking to get back on track after losing a 19-point lead in the second half to fall to High Point this past Wednesday. They will be facing a Radford team that is coming off of a 74-45 win over Winthrop.

Radford Highlanders
The Highlanders come into this game with a 6-10 (2-3 in conference) record. Of their six wins this season, just one of them is away from Dedmon Center. Much like the Bucs, they played a tough non-conference schedule that included the Clemson Tigers and a four-point loss to the Kentucky Wildcats.

Scoring has been a strength for the Highlanders, who are fourth in the Big South in scoring, averaging just over 63 points per game. Offensively, they led by Ashlyn Traylor, who is fourth in the conference in points per game with just over 14. Inside, they are led by Rachel LaLonde, who is fourth in the conference in rebounds per game with eight.

Radford is led by Head Coach Mike McGuire, who is in his tenth season at the helm. During his time in V.A. he has led the Highlanders to four women's NIT appearances and two Big South regular-season championships. McGuire has a winning percentage at .552, which is the third best mark in program history. This season, his team was picked to finish fourth in the Big South. With a 2-3 conference record to start the year, they are currently in a tie for fifth place.

Charleston Southern

For the second-straight game, the Bucs were in the plus column for turnovers against High Point. They forced 18 turnovers on 10 steals compared to only giving the ball away 16 times.
Despite winning the turnover battle and having a double-digit lead for three quarters, the Bucs were out-scored 23-9 in the fourth quarter in their loss to High Point. They were out-scored 40-20 overall in the second half despite having a 17-point lead at intermission.
Head Coach Clarisse Garcia has made it known that she is not afraid to switch up the lineups. Every player on the team has started at least one game this season.
One area where the Bucs have strived is on the offensive boards. They are fourth in the Big South Conference in offensive rebounding.
Defensively, the Bucs have been dominant inside. They are third in the conference with 3.4 blocks per game.
On Wednesday, Kennedi Jackson led the way for the Bucs with 15 points and seven rebounds. She continues her great season that includes two double-doubles to her credit.
Sha'Mya Leigh is the only player on the team to have started all 16 games on the season. This past Wednesday, she played all 40 minutes against High Point.
Catherine Alben continues to have a strong freshman season. Fresh off of being names Big South Freshman of the Week, Alben leads the team averaging just over 10 points per game. She has a 25-point game and a 22-point performance to her credit this season.