Radford Women match home win streak record

Highlanders win 21st straight at Dedmon Center

RADFORD, Va. – Courtesy: Radford Highlanders

Radford matched a program record with its 21st straight win inside the Dome of Defense as the Highlanders used a 21-5 second quarter run to cruise to a 78-52 Big South opening win over Winthrop.
 
The Highlander offense was running on all cylinders as Radford made a season-high 34 field goals on 75 attempts for a 45.3 shooting clip, assisting on season best 22 buckets for the fourth 20-assist game on the season.
 
In its first league game of the season, Radford placed five players in double-figures for the first time since Dec. 2, 2015. Continuing her torrid pace, Jayda Worthy finished with a team-high 21 points on 9 of 16 shooting, finishing a rebound shy of a double-double.
 
Janayla White and Lydia Rivers chipped in with a pair of double-doubles as the Highlanders have only achieved that feat once this season.
 
After missing five games, White looked to be back to her old self as she tallied 14 points on 7 of 9 shooting, while pulling down 10 rebounds. Rivers finished with 12 points and matched a career-high 16 rebounds for her second double-double in the last four games.
 
Leading the charge in transitional play, Khiana Johnson finished with 15 points for her ninth double-figure game on the season. Claudia Quevedo drained three 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter to finish with 11 points.
 
Radford opened the game with a foot race as transitional play led to a 17-8 opening quarter lead as the Highlanders made their first six shots of the game. The Highlanders committed an uncharacteristic seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes, but Winthrop only managed two points off the miscues.
 
The Highlanders blew the game wide open in the second quarter after Winthrop scored the first five points of the quarter. Radford made 10 field goals and turned five offensive rebounds into nine points as White chipped in eight points in four minutes of play.
 
After trailing by 20 points at the break, Courtney Hagaman poured in 14 of her game-high 25 points in the third quarter as Winthrop outscored Radford 23-21, cutting the deficit to 14 points.
 
Going back-and-forth with Hagaman in the quarter, Worthy scored 11 points in the third and helped Radford go on a 15-2 swing into the final quarter to put a stop to the Eagles' momentum for a 78-52 Big South opening victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX

  • Radford is third in the nation with 21 consecutive home wins, matching a record set during a span from 1983 to 1984.
  • The Highlanders open Big South play with back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2010 and 2011 conference seasons.
  • Radford improves to 59-16 all-time over Winthrop and 26-9 at home.
  • Jayda Worthy finished three points shy of matching a career-high of 24 points, but collected her fourth career 20-point performance and the first by a Highlander this season.
  • Janayla White finished with her fourth double-double on the season and first since Dec. 3. White now has 27 career double-doubles.
  • Lydia Rivers matched a career best 16 rebounds set on Dec. 12, 2015 and becomes the first Highlander with 15-plus rebounds since White at Charleston Southern on Jan. 21, 2017.
  • Radford pulled down 55 rebounds, marking the first time the Highlanders had pulled down 50-plus since that same Charleston Southern game.
  • The Highlanders turned 23 offensive rebounds in 26 second-chance points.
  • Of the 22 assists, four players finished with four-plus assists as Jen Falconer led the way with a season-high six assists.
  • Khiana JohnsonClaudia Quevedo and Worthy finished with four assists each.
  • In the last five games, Radford has assisted on 103 of 158 made field goals.
  • Radford scored a first-half high 38 points.
  • Radford improves to 17-4 in the last 44 games when holding opponents below 60 points.
  • The Highlanders have shot over 40-percent in five out of the last six games.

 
QUOTABLE

  • "Tonight, was a good start for us to begin conference play. It's always good to open up conference at home and we got the start we needed by setting the tone early. For this current group to match a program record of 21 consecutive home wins is pretty impressive and it's one thing we take pride in." ~ Radford head coach Mike McGuire

 
UP NEXT

  • Radford hits the road on Saturday, traveling to Boiling Springs, N.C., for the first Big South road contest against Gardner-Webb.
  • The Runnin' Bulldogs finished non-conference play with a 10-2 record.
  • Leading the all-time series 14-9, Radford has won the last four matchups.
  • The Highlanders are 6-4 on the road in the series.