Re: "Eye of the Tiger" - The Coaching Legacy of Jason Whitt (CH2k8)
Radford, VA - For the Radford Highlanders, tonight's victory served as proof that Jason Whitt was the right hire. In two years, he has taken the Highlanders from also-ran to the top of the Big South mountain and a legitimate shot at the school's second ever berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Tonight on Senior Night, using a makeshift lineup so that seniors Eric Hall and Martell McDuffy could play, the Highlanders continued their winning ways in a 82-59 blowout over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, a team that has been a thorn in the side of Coach Whitt.
"It's good to get a victory over those guys," Whitt said. "With it being Senior Night, it was already an emotional night, especially for our four seniors. It was great to see them all play well, especially Martell after his struggles coming back from injury. He's played really well these last couple games. Then you add us clinching the regular season title and cutting down the nets at home. It's just great."
Coach Whitt thought said that they would not get caught looking ahead.
"We have to take it one game at a time, and I know that is a hokey sport cliche," Whitt said. "But we know what's ahead of us. We clinched at minimum an automatic bid into the NIT, which is nice and all. But now the goal is switching to Charleston Southern Saturday night and then the Big South tournament, where everyone will be gunning for us. Last year, we made a surprise run and came a game away from the Big Dance. Our goal is to hear our name on Selection Sunday."
Radford used a balanced attack to put away the Chanticleers, with three players finishing in double-figures, led by Kenny Thomas with 14. The Highlanders jumped out to a 19-8 lead and never looked back.
Radford clinches Big South title
Kenny Thomas leads balanced effort in blowout victory.
Kenny Thomas leads balanced effort in blowout victory.
Radford, VA - For the Radford Highlanders, tonight's victory served as proof that Jason Whitt was the right hire. In two years, he has taken the Highlanders from also-ran to the top of the Big South mountain and a legitimate shot at the school's second ever berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Tonight on Senior Night, using a makeshift lineup so that seniors Eric Hall and Martell McDuffy could play, the Highlanders continued their winning ways in a 82-59 blowout over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, a team that has been a thorn in the side of Coach Whitt.
"It's good to get a victory over those guys," Whitt said. "With it being Senior Night, it was already an emotional night, especially for our four seniors. It was great to see them all play well, especially Martell after his struggles coming back from injury. He's played really well these last couple games. Then you add us clinching the regular season title and cutting down the nets at home. It's just great."
Coach Whitt thought said that they would not get caught looking ahead.
"We have to take it one game at a time, and I know that is a hokey sport cliche," Whitt said. "But we know what's ahead of us. We clinched at minimum an automatic bid into the NIT, which is nice and all. But now the goal is switching to Charleston Southern Saturday night and then the Big South tournament, where everyone will be gunning for us. Last year, we made a surprise run and came a game away from the Big Dance. Our goal is to hear our name on Selection Sunday."
Radford used a balanced attack to put away the Chanticleers, with three players finishing in double-figures, led by Kenny Thomas with 14. The Highlanders jumped out to a 19-8 lead and never looked back.
| Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Radford Highlanders | |||
| Feb 25, 2009 | 1ST | 2ND | SCORE |
 Coastal Carolina (8-16, 6-7 BSC) | 22 | 37 | 59 |
 Radford (15-8, 10-3 BSC) | 44 | 38 | 82 |
| Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | |||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS | |
| M. Sisinni | 27 | 1-9 | 1-7 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | |
| S. Sexton | 22 | 5-10 | 3-5 | 1-1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | |
| A. Breeze | 28 | 4-12 | 2-7 | 1-2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | |
| J. Harris | 29 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| H. Rothbart | 30 | 3-8 | 0-1 | 1-5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS | |
| L. Johnson | 23 | 4-9 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| B. Wallace | 15 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| J. Pack | 8 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| M. Brennan | -- DID NOT PLAY -- | ||||||||||
| A. Carrington | 1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| L. Mullins | 17 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| C. Bullock | -- DID NOT PLAY -- | ||||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 23-63 | 8-25 | 5-12 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 59 | ||
| Radford Highlanders | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| K. Thomas | 14 | 5-6 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| M. McDuffy | 14 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| J. Jenkins | 14 | 4-7 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| E. Hall | 16 | 4-8 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| N. McFarlin | 15 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| A. Johnson | 28 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 5-7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| C. Crumbley | 21 | 4-5 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| A. Gynes | 21 | 4-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| C. McEachin | 22 | 2-8 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| J. Lynch-Flohr | 13 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| D. Carrington | 14 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I. Stefanov | 8 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 34-65 | 5-16 | 9-13 | 42 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 82 | |
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