Radford Highlanders
2013-2014 Overall Rank: #133
Conference Rank: #2 Big South
Head Coach Mike Jones led the Radford program to new heights last season. Radford tied the school record for wins as a Division I program with 22, and won its first-ever postseason game, beating Oregon State 96-92 in the CBI tournament. They eventually lost to Old Dominion in the quarterfinals. The Highlanders finished just two games behind Big South conference champ High Point and will look to build on that success this season.
2013-14 Record: 22-13, 10-6
2013-14 Postseason: CBI
Coach: Mike Jones
Coach Record: 41-58 at Radford, 41-58 Overall
Who’s Out:
The Highlanders return the majority of last year’s team, as just two players depart. Allen Dickerson was the lone senior last season and he played in 33 of the team’s 35 games, averaging 2.2 points per game, playing just over nine minutes per contest. Dickerson did most of his damage from behind the arc, where he attempted 39 of his 53 shots over the course of the year. Juwan Wells is the only other departure, as he decided to transfer after his sophomore season. Wells appeared in just eight games last year, averaging 1.1 points per game.
Who’s In:
Radford will replace the two departed players with a pair of big guards. Cam Jones, a 6-foot-4 local product, is an athletic player who is known for his scoring ability. He spent the last two seasons at Brunswick Community College, where he averaged 20.1 points per game last season. The other player is Sterling Christy, a 6-foot-6 guard from Williamsport, Maryland. Christy put up big numbers in high school, averaging a double-double with 17.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game as a senior.
Who to Watch:
Radford brings a wealth of experience back, as their top eight players from last season return. Leading the way is the backcourt trio of Javonte Green, 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, R.J. Price, 13.2 points per game, and Ya Ya Andreson, 11.5 points per game. All three averaged over 25 minutes per game, and Green was a First-Team All Big South selection. Forwards Kyle Noreen and Brandon Holcomb are also back after serving as starters last season. Holcomb averaged 5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Noreen put up 4.3 points and grabbed 3.1 rebounds per contest. Radford likes to go up-tempo, so their bench is key to their success. On it, the Highlanders have point guard Rashun Davis, who led the team in assists, 3.5 per game, while averaging 10.1 points per game. Forwards Jalen Carethers and Kion Brown join Davis in the rotation and both averaged just over six points per game last season. Also back are guards Justin Cousins and Taj Owens, who played in 29 and 14 games respectively last year, along with guard Kyle Gonzalez and Lucas Dyer, who both saw limited minutes in 2013-2014. Dyer missed most of last season with a foot injury and could see more time this year.
Final Projection:
With nearly everybody returning, expectations should be very high for Radford. Coach Jones, a former VCU assistant, loves to play up-tempo and has a very deep team that fits that style of play. Green gives the Highlanders a player of the year candidate in the Big South and the trio of Price, Anderson and Davis provide excellent supporting production. Radford experienced success last season and they will be looking for more this year. With all the experience returning, Radford should be in the hunt for the Big South title.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
Projected Starting Five:
R.J. Price, Senior, Guard, 13.2 points per game
Ya Ya Anderson, Junior, Guard, 11.5 points per game
Javonte Green, Senior, Guard, 16.9 points per game
Kyle Noreen, Senior, Forward, 4.3 points per game
Brandon Holcomb, Junior, Forward, 5.5 points per game
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 78.0 (23rd in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 74.3 (280, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 47.8 (19, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 46.4 (299, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.3 (154, 6)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.2 (88, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 68.8 (206, 10)
Rebound Margin: 0.7 (167, 6)
Assists Per Game: 13.1 (128, 8)
Turnovers Per Game: 10.9 (55, 3)
