Poor Shooting and Turnovers Plague Highlanders As They Fall To Elon, 50-45

Radford, Va. - A poor shooting night and turnovers plagued the Radford University (7-16, 3-8 Big South) as they fell to Elon University (16-8, 9-2 BSC) in Big South Conference women’s basketball action from the Dedmon Center. Despite holding the Phoenix, who won their fifth straight game, to 27.9 percent from the field, the Highlanders themselves shot just 30.2 percent and turned the ball over 22 times, leading to 14 Elon points. box score

Amanda Neby (Plymouth, Minn.) led the Highlanders in scoring for the 11th time in the last 12 games with a game high 19 points. She also grabbed a game best 10 rebounds for her seventh double double of the season. Her third rebound of the night made her the 12th Highlander to reach 800 points (875) and 500 rebounds (507) in school history. Sherri Rickman (Roanoke, Va.) chipped in with 11 points and corralled eight boards.

Holly Andrews was the lone Phoenix in double figures with 13 points, despite shooting 3-for-18 from the field. She did go 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Courtney Nyborg added eight points and eight rebounds, while Michelle Hamilton grabbed a team best nine boards.

The Highlanders would jump out to a 6-3 lead in the first four minutes of the game. They would go on a scoreless streak for almost eight minutes. During that stretch, Elon used an 8-0 run to grab an 11-6 lead. Radford fought back and tied it up at 13 with 6:18 to go, and eventually took a 21-18 lead into the break. Only their second halftime lead in 11 Conference games.

Radford maintained their lead early in the second half and went up by four, their largest lead of the game (29-25), with 16:42 to go. Elon quickly tied up, and after three more ties, the last coming at 36-36 with 9:25 left, the Phoenix used a 9-2 spurt to take a 45-38 advantage and command of the game at 5:47. The Highlanders were unable to get within one possession the rest of the game.

Elon’s Jayme Chykos dished out a game high four assists, and moves within two helpers (576) of second place in the Big South Conference.

Radford travel to UNC Asheville on Friday, for a matchup with the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. Elon returns home on Saturday when they host Liberty at 7:00 p.m.