The Winthrop Eagles (17-7), the Big South’s top scoring team, will be in action against the Radford Highlanders (14-11) at Dedmon Center. Action begins at 12:00 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 13.
The Highlanders enter this game hoping for similar success after edging UNC Asheville 60-59 on Thursday. Cameron Jones was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting. The Eagles, meanwhile, are coming off an 88-80 win against Longwood on Thursday. Xavier Cooks claimed his fifth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Cooks has upped his play for the Eagles, averaging 17.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 1.6 three-pointers over the past five games.
Radford could dominate the offensive glass in this matchup, as it’s ranked 25th in the nation in OR% at 36.6%. Alternatively, Winthrop ranks 279th in the nation on the defensive backboards with a DR% of 68.2%.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Eagles winning the first matchup 87-77. Jimmy Gavin had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 29 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and five three-pointers.
Notes
Ranked 25th, the Winthrop Eagles have an offensive rating of 114.6. The Radford Highlanders rank 216th with a defensive rating of just 105.0.
Winthrop has an average field goal percentage of 48.1% (ranked 23rd). Radford is an underachieving 1-6 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Radford Highlanders rank higher based on their field goal percentage (176th) than their effective field goal percentage (194th). The Winthrop Eagles rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (14th) than their field goal percentage (23rd).
Winthrop, the 24th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.3 blocks per game. Radford ranks 73rd with 4.4.
Radford is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to offensive rebounds, ranking 14th. Winthrop ranks 94th in defensive rebounds.
Winthrop has forced an average turnover rate of 17.0% this season. In games where its turnover rate is 17.0% or higher, Radford is an even 8-8.
