— By David Walsh
Radford got a 4-point play from Bryan Antoine with 1.5 seconds left to break a 62-all tie and lift the Highlanders to a 66-62 win over Marshall in a game played Friday night at The Greenbrier Resort’s Colonial Hall in White Sulphur Springs.
After a lengthy review, the Highlanders (1-1) would inbound the ball with 3.4 seconds left and the score tied. Antoine came around two screens and got free in the corner nearest the Radford bench.
The senior guard drilled a fadeaway three and drew a foul in the process. He made the free throw to seal the win in front of a crowd of 1,013 inside the Colonial Hall’s ballroom that became the Herd’s home floor for a night.
“We weren’t ready to play,” Herd coach Dan D’Antoni said. “It’s a new team. We’re looking to get our leadership and how you come and prepare for every game (down). They (Radford) have a veteran squad, who came back and who’s used to the big strong games and traveling. We have to be better. We were down by as many as 15. We did fight back. They were a lot more physical. We’re going to have to be more physical.”
𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫 🤯
Bryan Antoine calls GAME and @RadfordHoops sinks Marshall!#BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/gDnXHY5U4s
— Big South Conference (@BigSouthSports) November 11, 2023
Nate Martin, transfer from Texas State, led the Herd with 16 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double of the young season. He also blocked four shots for a career-high. He tied the game on a layup with 24 seconds left. Kamdyn Curfman got the assist. The lay-in was part of a 10-1 run from 2:18 to the 24-second mark with Curfman, a guard, netting eight of his team-high 18 points.
Marshall trailed by as many as 16, including an 11-point deficit in the second half. The Herd started the final half with a 15-2 run, concluded by a layup by Kevon Voyles at the 14:38 mark, to give Marshall its first lead since the opening basket of the gam3.
Marshall had just six turnovers and 15 takeaways and converted those errors into 14 points. Voyles registered five steals to tie his career-high. However, the transfer from Maryland Eastern Shore made just 3-of-16 shots from the floor. He went 0-for-6 from three. Curfman took 14 shots and made five.
Martin also rejected a career-high four shots.
Obinna Anochili-Killen added 12 points for the Herd. Marshall had a 30-20 edge in points in the paint.
Marshall now gets ready for a trip to the Cayman Islands for the Caymand Island Classic. The first game is against Utah State on Nov. 19. Start time is 5 p.m. Game two will be against either Akron or FIU. The round three opponent is to be decided.
For Radford, which competes in the Big South, sophomore guard Kenyon Giles hit for a career-high 22 points to go with five assists.
Chandler Turner had his first double-double with the Highlanders with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Archer grabbed 14 rebounds for Radford. The Highlanders often fed off the energy created by the Herd fans in attendance.
Radford had nine three-pointers to four for the Herd. Marshall didn’t make any from behind the arc in the first half. Radford had a 50-40 edge on the boards.