Bynum, Highlanders Handle Liberty

RADFORD, Va. -- Junior Andre Bynum (Gastonia, N.C.) scored a career-high 15 points to lead Radford to a 69-64 Big South win over arch-rival Liberty on a snowy Saturday night at the Dedmon Center. (Box Score)

Bynum, who almost didn’t play due to illness, was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and went 4-of-6 from the line. He was joined in double figures by junior Whit Holcomb-Faye (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Olumuyiwa Popoola (Gardena, Calif.) who had 12 and 11 points respectively. Sophomore Chris Oliver (Kernersville, N.C.) led RU on the glass with seven rebounds. Popoola and freshman Reggie McIntyre (Piedmont, S.C.)
each grabbed six boards.

Radford (9-10; 4-4 Big South) took control of the game in the second half, opening with a 7-2 run to claim a four-point advantage. A 9-0 run which was capped by a lay-up by RU freshman Duane Ricks (Norfolk, Va.) pushed the RU lead to 11. That lead got as high as 13 on a free throw by Holcomb-Faye, but the Flames responded with three 3-pointers over the next 2:45 to close to within three with 15 seconds remaining. Senior Brian Woodson (Herndon, Va.) fouled Bynum with 8 seconds left, and Bynum calmly sunk both charity tosses to seal the victory.

Sophomore Larry Blair (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Flames (7-12; 5-3 Big South) with 15 points. Sophomore David Dees (Dayton, Ohio) scored 13 and grabbed nine to pace the Flames on the glass. The loss marked Liberty’s eighth straight loss at the Dedmon Center. The Flames’ last victory in the Terrordome was during the 1996-97 season.

Both teams had trouble scoring in the first half until the 17:30 mark when Blair’s lay-up gave the Flames a 2-0 advantage. From there it was a track meet, with the teams combining for 36 points over the next 7:30. LU had the upper hand, pushing its lead as high as nine on a lay-up by freshman Rell Porter (Pittsburgh, Texas).

The Highlanders climbed back with a 7-0 run, and took a one-point lead when junior Chris Goodin (Springfield, Va.) hit a free throw. The teams traded baskets through the rest of the half until Dees sunk a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Flames a 34-33 halftime advantage.

Radford will return home for a 9:00 pm Big South tip Monday against Birmingham-Southern. The game will be televised on the Big South Television Network. The Flames return home for a Big South game versus High Point Tuesday at 7:00 pm