NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, the Radford Highlanders built a commanding first-half lead and withstood a furious second-half rally from Charleston Southern to secure an 84-75 victory in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at CSU Field House.

The Highlanders, who led by as many as 19 points in the first half, saw their advantage whittled down to just four in the final minutes before clutch free-throw shooting sealed the win. The victory improved Radford to 12-11 overall, while Charleston Southern fell to 11-12.

The most critical phase of the contest was its opening stanza, where Radford established a dominance that ultimately proved insurmountable. The Highlanders raced out to a 44-32 halftime lead, a margin built on stifling defense and efficient offense. Charleston Southern struggled mightily from the field in the first half, shooting just 7 of 32 from three-point range for the game. The Buccaneers’ offensive woes were compounded by 16 total turnovers, which Radford converted into 10 steals and key transition opportunities.

Del Jones of Radford was the offensive catalyst, pouring in 27 points, including a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the free-throw line. His backcourt mate, Jaylon Johnson, added 18 points, while forward Dennis Parker chipped in 16 points and was a disruptive force defensively. The Highlanders shot 45.6% from the field and were a decisive 26 of 33 from the charity stripe.

Charleston Southern’s comeback attempt in the second half was spearheaded by A’lahn Sumler, who scored a team-high 26 points. The Buccaneers outscored Radford 43-40 after halftime, closing the gap to 74-70 with under three minutes to play following a Sumler layup. Brycen Blaine provided a spark off the bench with 14 points.

However, Radford’s composure at the free-throw line down the stretch extinguished the rally. The Highlanders made 10 of their final 12 free throws in the last two minutes, with Jones, Johnson and Parker all converting crucial attempts to keep the Buccaneers at bay.

Beyond the arc, the statistical disparity was stark. While Radford connected on 6 of 14 three-point attempts, Charleston Southern managed only 7 makes on 32 tries. The Buccaneers also left points at the line, shooting 22 of 36 on free throws.

Radford’s defense was pivotal, holding Charleston Southern to an offensive rating of 91.4 points per 100 possessions, while the Highlanders operated at a 105.4 rating on their own offensive end. The win snapped a two-game skid for Radford, which had lost close contests to Winthrop and High Point in its previous two outings.

Charleston Southern, which has now lost three of its last four, continued a trend of narrow conference defeats, having suffered overtime losses to Longwood, South Carolina Upstate and High Point earlier in January.

The announced attendance was 812.

Radford next travels to face Presbyterian on Saturday. Charleston Southern will look to regroup on the road at High Point next Wednesday.