ESPNU has selected two Radford University contests for its final Big South wildcard broadcasts of the 2019-20 season: Radford vs. UNC Asheville Thursday, Feb. 20, at 9 p.m., and Radford vs. Hampton on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.
The two games mark the seventh time in the last four seasons the Highlanders have been selected for an ESPNU wildcard game.
The game of February 20 will be the second meeting this season between the Highlanders and the Bulldogs as the first meeting came inside Kimmel Arena in Asheville on Jan. 23.
Radford currently sits second in the Big South standings. Meanwhile, UNC Asheville is 3-7 in conference play and 9-12 overall.
Prior to tip-off, Copper Beech will be giving away free food to students in attendance while supplies last.
The game of Feb. 27 is also the second meeting this season between the Highlanders and the Pirates. Radford fended off a late barrage of three pointers to win that contest 83-79. Hampton is 6-5 in conference play and 11-13 overall.
Hampton will make its second appearance in the league’s wildcard series, and third overall on an ESPN linear network since joining the Big South in 2018-19. The game will be Radford’s ninth overall appearance in the wildcard series.
This is the seventh year of the Big South’s ESPNU wildcard series, which featured six Thursday broadcasts: Jan. 16 (Charleston Southern 77, at Campbell 62), Jan. 30 (USC Upstate 77, at Presbyterian 74), Feb. 6 (at Winthrop 62, Campbell 53), Feb. 13 (Winthrop at Gardner-Webb), Feb. 20 (UNC Asheville at Radford) and Feb. 27 (Radford at Hampton).
Twenty-six of the wildcard games have been played in the series that began in 2013-14. The home teams are 18-8, but the 26 games have been decided by an average of 8.35 points with 17 of the games decided by single digits.
–RU Athletics
