Winthrop (9-3) vs. Radford (6-7)
Game Time: 12 p.m. EST / Site: Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum)
Live Video: Big South Network (Mike Pacheco-PxP/Bobby Stevens-Color / Television: none / Audio: 104.1 The Bridge, pregame 11:30 a.m (Dave Friedman-PxP/Ron Mikels-Color)
Live Stats  / Live Video  / Live Audio

ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop will put a five-game winning streak on the line Saturday afternoon when it hosts Radford in its Big South Conference home opener. Tip is set for 12 p.m.

The Eagles improved to 9-3 on the season after opening league play with a 16-point win at Charleston Southern. It is the second straight season the Eagles hold a 9-3 mark as they look to win their eighth straight at home against conference foes. The game will air on the Big South Network or fans can tune into 104.1 The Bridge as Dave Friedman will provide the play-by-play.

Since the start of the 2015-16 season, the Eagles are 32-12 but have won 23 of their last 29 contests, including 12-of-14 against Big South opponents. The Eagles are two victories shy of tying the best mark in school history with three losses (11-3 set by the 1980-81 team).

The Eagles were one of three league schools to win their opener on the road as Winthrop won its conference opener for the fourth straight year for the first time in program history. Winthrop posted 84 points, which is the fourth straight game the Eagles have scored 80 or more points on the road in league play. That is also a program record.

Senior Keon Johnson led the Eagles with 27 points at CSU as he also dished out a career-best seven assists. He continues to lead the team in scoring at 19.5 ppg and assists per game at 3.0. It was the seventh time that Johnson hit the 20-point mark and the fifth time in the last six games. During the first half, Johnson moved into 3^rd on Winthrop's all-time scoring list and is now 85 points behind second. He also moved into 5^th on the three-point field goals made list and is seven behind 4^th place.

Junior Xavier Cooks posted his 12^th career double-double in the win at CSU with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out a career-high six assists and had four blocks. Cooks is second on the team with 15.8 ppg and leads the team in rebounding at 7.3 per game. Cooks surpassed 500 career rebounds at CSU and has moved within five career blocks of 3^rd all-time (82^nd player in league history to reach 500 boards). He is 91 points away from becoming the 17^th player in league history to score 1,000 points, pull down 500 rebounds and have 100 blocks. He is the 25^th player in league history to have 500 rebounds and 100 blocks.  

Cooks has teamed up with junior Duby Okeke to form the most talented blocking duo in school history and one of the best in the history of the Big South. Okeke has 138 career blocks and is just one away from becoming the program's all-time leader held by Billy Houston. Both Cooks and Okeke still have this season and next season of eligibility to crush Houston's career record that as held up since he finished in 2006.

Winthrop leads the Big South in scoring at 78.6 ppg while Radford enters the contest last in the league at 65.9. Winthrop scored an average of 86.5 ppg in two meetings with the Highlanders last season while allowing 80.5 ppg.

This will be the 71^st meeting all-time between Winthrop and Radford. The Highlanders hold a 35-34 edge in the all-time series and a 32-27 record against the Eagles in regular season games. Winthrop has won the last three meetings, including the last time they met on Feb. 13, 2016 with a buzzer beater by Johnson.

Radford is 6-7 on the year and coming off a win at home against defending Big South Champion UNC Asheville in overtime. It was the second straight win for the Highlanders, who improved to a perfect 5-0 at home.

The Highlanders are led by Ed Polite Jr.'s 10.1 points per game as he's the only player averaging double-figures. Caleb Tanner is averaging 9.9 ppg while Justin Cousin is scoring 8.5 per game.

Radford is scoring just 65.9 ppg on the year but posted 73 in regulation against the Bulldogs and outscored them 7-3 in overtime. Tanner had a big game off the bench with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and was 6-for-8 behind the arc. The Highlanders shot 49 percent from the field and was 11-for-23 from three (48 percent).

Polite Jr. had a stat filling game against the Bulldogs with nine points, eight rebounds, four blocks, four steals and two assists.

Radford is looking for its first road win of the season as it is currently 0-6. The Highlanders have averaged 53 ppg on the road while allowing 84.2 ppg. Despite having lost three straight to the Eagles, Radford has won two of its last three trips to the Winthrop Coliseum.