Sleeping with the Enemy: The Highlanders of Radford

Your Fighting Hoyas of Georgetown look to take out some post-Kansas aggression on the Radford Highlanders tomorrow and as usual we here at THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON are bringing you everything you need to know about Georgetown's next opponent.  Special thanks to our best bros at Mid Major Madness for once again stepping into the ring. Let's do this!

Radford!  Tell us something interesting about Radford, the institution, that we don't know.

Did you know the ESPN NASCAR correspondent Marty Smith went to Radford? That dude looks like a Muppet and has to have the thickest Appalachian-American accent on television beyond shows like Moonshiners.

The Highlanders are off to a 5-3 start this year and just disposed of Buzz Williams' Hokies.  First question: Where do you see the Highlanders finishing in the Big South this season?  Second, why in the world did Buzz take that job?

This is the senior year for Mike Jones' initial recruiting class at Radford so this is THE year that they are really supposed to peak in the Big South. I think Radford is really the class of the now disbanded North Division and is a step above High Point when it comes to competing for the Big South Championship. There are a lot of quality teams in this conference this year and Radford will most certainly be in the mix with the likes of Coastal Carolina. 

In terms of Buzz Williams, he's considered one of the best coaches in the country so why wouldn't you want to coach against Roy Williams, Coach K, Boeheim, Pitino and others? I'm not sure what other opportunities would've really opened up for Buzz and Virginia Tech is a place that I think really fits him. Tech has a new AD and possibly a new commitment to college hoops. I think he could really do something at Virginia Tech and is just another great coach in a conference full of them. Also, maybe he just didn't believe in the direction the Big East is going? 


Who are some of the guys that the Hoyas need to watch out for on Saturday?

The one guy you definitely need to keep an eye on is Javonte Green. He's part of that initial class of seniors I referenced and he's pound for pound the best player in the Big South. His scoring production is down a bit this year at 12.5 points per game, but he's a walking double-double at just 6'4. Beyond scoring he's averaging over 10 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. It seems like defenses are keying in on him more, and that's why his field goal percentage is down so much, but this is a high motor guy that's not going to give up. 

The other two guys I'd keep an eye on are in the backcourt. RJ Price is another senior and he's a great ball-handler who has played just about 30 minutes per game his whole career and averaged over 11 points per game, he's already over 1,300 points for his career and 300 assists. The other guy is junior Ya Ya Anderson. He was suspended the first three games of the season and that was a big part of the reason why the Highlanders struggled against Richmond and JMU. His stats won't jump out to you and he's still been in Mike Jones' doghouse a bit but he's really the X-Factor for Radford and can get going at any time. 


Do you use soap or body wash in the shower?  Please justify your selection.

I'm a bodywash guy. I feel like it last longer and always comes with a free stick of deodorant all around. I've really bought into Dove Men's products and have the full suite. Also it's less soap scum my wife can't get mad at me about when she cleans the shower. 


Our Hoyas are off to a 5-3 start and have dropped tight games against Wisconsin, Butler and Kansas.  What's your opinion on this Hoyas team and how far do they go in March?

The Hoyas have really impressed me thus far because they were in the games that they lost. The win over Florida stands out and I completely expect Georgetown to be 8-3 heading into Big East play. I've always like Devauntes Smith-Rivera, Josh Smith finally seems to have his head right, and L.J. Peak has been a lot of fun to watch early. I definitely think the Hoyas will be in the mix with Villanova, Butler, St. John's, and others in the Big East. 


Rank the following foods by order of preference and provide your favorite dish for each: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian.

I'll go Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Indian/Thai. I really enjoy Vietnamese because I feel like it's a lot fresher and less greasy than Chinese. I like Chinese but I always feel like I've been hit with a tranquilizer dart after I've eaten it. Japanese is obviously up there because of sushi and I certainly love a good cucumber/avocado tuna roll. Indian/Thai just isn't in my rotation at all. I've given it a go but I really don't want to feel like Ben Stiller when he ate Moroccan food in Along Came Polly. 

If I could put this GIF on a t-shirt, how many would you purchase?

I'd invest in at least two for me and my kid. Especially if it was on that dirty gray color G'town has. I feel like that color isn't used enough. 

How about this one?

I mean I would hope you would buy it for me for all these free previews I've done over the years!


Final score prediction?

I'll say Georgetown 73-61. Radford can make it a game but it means Price, Anderson, and Rashun Davis need to be firing on all cylinders. The Highlanders will also need for their big men Brandon Holcomb, Jalen Carethers, and Kion Brown to step up. They have size but those guys sometimes just play like scarecrows out there, hence why Green needs to be so active on the glass night in and night out.