RADFORD, Va. --- Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) recorded his ninth double-double of the season with game-highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds, as Radford held Gardner-Webb to a field goal percentage of 33.3 percent en route to a 69-59 win in Big South Conference play Sunday afternoon.
The result elevates Radford (12-9, 5-4 Big South) into a three-way tie for fourth in the Big South standings alongside Gardner-Webb (10-11, 5-4) and Coastal Carolina (11-8, 5-4).
Radford connected on 25-of-60 (41.7 percent) from the floor in the contest, including a 41.9 percent clip in the second half, while limiting Gardner-Webb to a 22-of-66 effort overall and a 7-for-29 afternoon from long range. The Highlanders won the battle on the glass by a 43-39 margin, and converted 15 offensive boards into 19 second-chance points.
Nelson led the Runnin' Bulldogs with his ninth double-double of the season, recording game-highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds while knocking down 8-of-13 from the floor. The effort lifts the junior forward into fifth in scoring and fourth in rebounding in the program's Division I era.
Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) added 13 points with a 5-for-8 afternoon from the field – including a 3-for-4 clip from downtown – as Dylan Poston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and Isaiah Ivey (Georgetown, Ky.) each chipped in seven points. Harold McBride (Bronx, N.Y.) dished out five assists and L'Hassane Niangane (Chalon, France) grabbed five boards.
Cameron Jones paced four Highlanders in double figures with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, as YaYa Anderson and Kion Brown each added 13 points. Rashun Davis chipped in 10 points and a game-high seven assists, while Jones, Anderson and Ed Polite, Jr. all pulled down seven rebounds.
Radford jumped out to an early 11-4 lead before Gardner-Webb responded, battling back to cut the margin to 16-14 with an Ivey trey at the 10:13 mark. The Runnin' Bulldogs would stay within striking distance for much of the next seven minutes, evening the tally at 25-25 before a Burbage three gave Gardner-Webb its first lead of the day, 28-27, with 3:39 on the clock.
The Highlanders quickly countered with a 9-3 run to close the half, and take a 36-31 advantage into the break after a last-second three-ball by Davis.
Gardner-Webb answered early in the second half, opening the period with an easy Nelson lay-in and a Poston trey to pull even at 36-36 inside the first minute. Radford responded with an 18-11 run over the next 11 minutes to reclaim the lead, 54-47, with 8:01 left on the clock.
The Runnin' Bulldogs kept fighting with an 8-4 spurt of their own, trimming the margin to three, 58-55, on a Poston trey with 5:58 to play. Jones nailed a three of his own moments later for Radford, pushing the lead back to six – 61-55 – at the 5:42 mark.
Radford held on from there, limiting Gardner-Webb to four points in the final five minutes and converting several clutch free throws to seal the 10-point victory.
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Wednesday when the Runnin' Bulldogs host Liberty in Big South play. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm on the Big South Network from Paul Porter Arena.
