In a stunning turn of events, Radford pulled off a monumental upset at The Dedmon Center, taking down Longwood 85-83. This victory is a significant statement for the Radford program, as they defeated a Longwood team that was expected to come out on top. The win is all the more impressive considering the narrow margin, with Radford holding on by just two points.
Del Jones was the star of the show for Radford, pouring in 25 points and grabbing six rebounds to lead his team to victory. He received support from Lukas Walls, who chipped in 17 points, and Dennis Parker Jr., who added 13 points. Radford's high-powered offense was on full display in the first half, as they built a commanding 53-36 lead. However, Longwood refused to back down, mounting a fierce comeback in the second half.
Redd Thompson Jr. led the charge for Longwood, scoring 21 points, while Elijah Tucker dominated the glass with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Jaylen Benard also made significant contributions, scoring 11 points for the Lancers. Despite their best efforts, Longwood was unable to overcome the deficit, falling just short in their bid to come back.
The first half was a one-sided affair, with Radford's offense clicking on all cylinders. They built a 17-point lead by halftime, and it seemed as though the game was all but over. However, Longwood stormed out of the gates in the second half, outscoring Radford 47-32 to set up a nail-biting finish. In the end, Radford's early lead was just enough, as they held on for the upset victory.
This win is a huge boost to Radford's resume, as they took down a Longwood team that was ranked slightly higher in the net rankings. The victory will be classified as a Quadrant 4 win for Radford, but the fact that they were able to defeat a team that was expected to win makes it a much more significant result. For Longwood, the loss is a setback, but it will also be considered a Quadrant 4 loss, which will not hurt their tournament chances too severely.
The implications of this result are significant, as Radford has now improved to 11-11 on the season. While they still have work to do to get back into the tournament conversation, this win shows that they are capable of competing with teams that are considered to be on the bubble. As for Longwood, they fall to 12-10, but they want to bounce back from this tough loss and continue to push for a tournament berth. The upset victory for Radford is a major statement, and it will be interesting to see how they build on this momentum in their upcoming games.