Highlanders Drop Triple Overtime Thriller at Coastal Carolina, 96-94
Set Big South Conference Record for most rebounds and shot attempts in a game

Conway, S.C. - Radford University (6-13, 2-6 BSC) dropped a triple overtime thriller, 96-94, to Coastal Carolina (9-8, 4-4 BSC) this evening. Nikki Reddick led all scorers with a career high 40 points, including 19 of their 27 points in the three overtimes. She sent the game into the first overtime with a coast-to-coast layup as time expired. It was the first triple overtime game for the Highlanders since they beat George Mason on the road, 85-81 on Dec. 10, 1986. box score

The Highlanders had four players post double doubles, led by Amanda Neby's (Plymouth, Minn.) career high 29 points and four blocks. She also tied a school record by going 11-for-11 from the charity stripe and grabbed 11 rebounds before fouling out with 30 seconds left in the second overtime. Jesse Brunjak (Ooltewah, Tenn.) added 19 points and a career high 10 rebounds. Brandy Allen (Roanoke, Va.) and Hanna Statsenka (Minsk, Belarus) chipped in with 16 and 10 points, to go along with their 12 and 11 rebound respectively. Cody Silker (Fairmont, Minn.), suffering from flu symptoms, registered career bests with 11 assists and eight rebounds. She also added six points and committed no turnovers in 46 minutes.

The Highlanders held a four-point lead, 69-65 with 28 seconds remaining, until Reddick took over. Reddick hit a jumper with 15 seconds left to make it a two-point game at 69-67. Then, after a missed front end of a one-and-one by Sherri Rickman (Roanoke, Va.) with six seconds left, Reddick grabbed the rebound, and took it coast-to-coast and hit a scoop shot as the horn sounded, sending the game into overtime.

Trailing by four in the first overtime, Neby hit a jumper with 26 seconds left. After Reddick missed a pair of free throws, Brunjak, who was fouled on the rebound, drained both of hers, tying things up at 76. Coastal's Whitney Shearer had a chance to win the game for the Lady Chants, but missed a pair freebees with two seconds left.

Neby started the second overtime by converting on a three-point play. That would be the only points RU would score over the next four minutes. Reddick highlighted an 11-0 run by scoring the last nine points and helping the Lady Chants go up 86-79 with 36 seconds to go. The Highlanders sent the game into a third extra session by going on a 10-2 run in the final 30 seconds.

Ludmila Nicheporchuk (Minsk, Belarus) and Allen started the barrage with a pair of threes sandwiched in between a Shearer free throw. Reddick made one-of-two from the line, putting CCU up 89-85 with 12 seconds left. On RU's next possession, Brunjak was fouled on a three-point attempt from the baseline. After making her first two, she missed the third, but Statsenka grabbed the offensive board and banked a five-footer with two seconds to go, completing the thrilling comeback.

In the third overtime, both teams struggled from the field. CCU’s Lucia Popovici finally broke the tie with a jumper at 2:54. After three free throws put the Lady Chants up 94-89, Allen finally found the bottom of the bucket with 26 seconds left. Shearer, who was 3-for-10 from the charity stripe for the game, missed another pair with 24 seconds. The Highlanders had a chance in the end but a Statsenka three rimmed out, and then Heather Perez (Louisville, Kent.), after grabbing the offensive board, missed a pair of freebees with six seconds left. Reddick would seal the game with a pair free throws. Silker hit a 30-footer as time expired to make the final margin.

Radford outrebounded the Lady Chanticleers 71-47, including 29 to nine on the offensive end. The total number of rebounds and RU’s 94 shot attempts set records for a Big South Conference game. The old records were 63 boards by Charleston Southern vs. UNC Ashville on 1/11/92 and 86 rebounds by Campbell vs. Charleston Southern in 1988. The 71 rebounds is three shy of Radford’s record.

The Highlanders are back in action on Monday, Feb. 3 when they travel to Charleston Southern at 7 p.m.