RADFORD AND LIU BROOKLYN FACE OFF IN DAYTON ON TUESDAY

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GAME INFORMATION

SETTING THE STAGE

The Radford men's basketball program has a chance to win its first ever NCAA Tournament game when it faces No. 16 LIU Brooklyn in a First Four game
With one more win the Highlanders would set a new school record with 23 wins this season, surpassing the 22 recorded in 1990-91, 2013-14 and 2014-15
LIU Brooklyn is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time and first since 2013 after upsetting Wagner, 71-61, in the NEC Championship

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Radford has made two previous trips to the Big Dance: the 1997-98 season and the 2008-09 season
In 1998, the 16th seeded Highlanders fell to a 1st seeded Duke team that featured Elton Brand and Shane Battier, 99-63, in the first round. The game was held in Lexington, Ky. as part of the South region
In in 2009, 16th seeded Radford fell, 101-58, to a 1st seeded UNC squad that was led by Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. The game was held in Greensboro, N.C. as part of the South region

SERIES HISTORY

The Highlanders and Blackbirds have met once before. They went head-to-head back in 2011 as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at the Mohegan Sun
LIU Brooklyn came away with an 81-59 victory in that contest

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 22-12 (12-6 Big South) | RPI: 128
The Highlanders will head into the NCAA Tournament riding a seven-game winning streak including four to end the regular season and three to win the Big South Championship
In those four regular season games, Radford outscored its opponents, 69.8 to 54.5 for a +15.3 scoring margin. The Highlanders shot 48.3% while holding opponents to 37.9%
Radford defeated No. 10 Longwood, 59-53 in the quarterfinals, No. 3 Winthrop, 61-52, in the semifinals and No. 5 Liberty, 55-52, in the finals to win the Big South Championship
In three games, Radford shot 35.2% from the floor while opponents shot 42.3%, yet the Highlanders earned a +6.0 scoring differential
Radford was out-rebounded in all three games as well, finishing with a -2.7 rebounding margin
The Highlanders were able to overcome their deficiencies thanks to a superior ability to get to the free throw line and protection of the basketball
They finished the tournament with only 19 turnovers committed while forcing 44 miscues for a +8.3 turnover margin. The Highlanders scored 53 points off turnovers in the three games
They also went 56-for-73 from the free throw line while opponents went 20-for-23 across the three games

SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS

Record: 18-16 (10-8 NEC) | RPI: 232
LIU Brooklyn is in its first year under Head Coach Derek Kellogg, who came to Brooklyn after serving as the head coach at UMass for nine seasons
The Blackbirds were picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason poll, but beat expectations by earning a No. 4 seed in the conference tournament
They defeated No. 5 St. Francis Brooklyn (81-76), No. 6 Fairleigh Dickinson (78-77) and No. 1 Wagner (71-61) to clinch the automatic bid
LIU Brooklyn is led by NEC Tournament MVP Joel Hernandez (20.9 ppg) and Raiquan Clark (17.4 ppg)
Clark is the team's top rebounder with 7.1 per game, while possessing a 55.7 field goal percentage
Hernandez dishes out 2.6 dimes a game, while shooting 38.0 percent from beyond the arc
The Blackbirds are 5-11 in away games and 1-1 at neutral locations
With back-to-back wins to end the regular season and a run in the conference tournament, the Blackbirds are riding a five-game winning streak

UP NEXT

The winner of Radford/LIU Brooklyn will head to Pittsburgh to take on No. 1 Villanova
The game is slated for 6:50 p.m. on Thursday, March 15 and will be broadcast live on TNT

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