CLINTON, S.C. - The Presbyterian College men's basketball team used a total team effort and a sterling performance from Al'Lonzo Coleman (Charlotte, N.C.) to grab its first Big South Conference win of the season, earning a 72-64 victory over the visiting Radford Highlanders on Saturday night at Templeton Center.
PC improves to 3-6 on the year and 1-1 in Big South play. Radford falls to 3-6 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Coleman led all players with 19 points and 13 rebounds, giving him his second double-double of the season and 16th of his career. He also dished out a game-high four assists, blocked a game-high two shots and registered PC's only steal.
Three other members of the Blue Hose cracked double figures as well, with Khalid Mutakabbir (Suwanee, Ga.) scoring 15 points, Jay Reynolds (Maryville, Tenn.) scoring 14 and Pierre Miller (Warner Robbins, Ga.) adding 10.
PC shot 46.9 percent from the floor, its best shooting performance in its last four games. Both teams protected the ball, with each side committing only six turnovers to mark a season-best for PC.
The Blue Hose built a steady lead over Radford in the first half and exploded early in the second, leading by as many as 18 points before the Highlanders narrowed the gap in the game's waning minutes.
Johnathan Edwards led Radford with 16 points and nine rebounds. Blake Smith also scored 15 and Javonte Green contributed 14.
PC took its offense inside against Radford in the first half, scoring 22 of its 32 opening-half points in the paint.
The Blue Hose received scoring throughout its lineup early and often, as six players combined for the team's first 13 points. The two sides swapped baskets from the opening tip before the Blue Hose scored five straight points and eventually took a 22-13 lead midway through the half.
A Radford three-pointer cut the lead to six but PC recovered with buckets from Miller, Coleman and Joshua Clyburn (Charlotte, N.C.) to expand the lead to 11 four minutes before halftime.
The Blue Hose went up by 13 before a Highlander trey and a conventional three-point play around a PC free throw cut the lead to seven. A Johnathan Edwards layup cut the Blue Hose advantage to five, but a slick drive from Eric Washington (Columbia, S.C.) followed by a quick pass to Reynolds under the basket led to a high-percentage shot that gave PC its seven-point lead back.
Radford's Blake Smith knocked down a jumper with nine seconds left to trim the PC lead to 32-27 heading into halftime.
PC picked up where it left off in starting the second half, going on a 17-5 run to open the period and go ahead by a 52-34 margin six and a half minutes into the half.
The Blue Hose continued to match Radford in scoring and a Coleman layup with 10 minutes to go kept PC ahead by 17, at 56-39.
The Highlanders answered, scoring six straight points to pull within 11. Radford chipped away despite several PC baskets to get within 10 with 3:41 remaining, setting the stage to draw closer as the game wore on.
The visitors clawed back and pulled within six points in the final minute, and Brian Darden hit a three with 24 seconds left after a Coleman free throw to narrow the gap to four, 68-64. The Blue Hose used the double bonus and the clock to their advantage, however, and sealed the win on four Mutakabbir free throws, 72-64.
PC takes a break for exams and returns to action on Tuesday, December 13 with a road game against South Carolina at 7 p.m., in Columbia, S.C. The game will be televised on SportSouth and an audio broadcast will be available on GoBlueHose.com and 860 WLBG-AM.
