CHARLESTON, S.C. – For conference game number five, CSU would host the Radford Highlanders. Coming into the contest, Radford was 3-1 in conference play.
The Bucs' current conference player of the year contender, Taje' Kelly was questionable to play (injury) Saturday afternoon. Kelly ended up being able to compete and post what Buc Nation has become accustomed to seeing from #2, a double-double performance. Kelly would be the only Buccaneer to reach double figures in the scoring column as he was responsible for 28 of CSU's 58 points.
Radford would lead the ball game for essentially all of the 26 minutes of play. With 14:14 left on the clock in half number two, a pair of free throws by RJ Johnson would give the Bucs their second lead of the game (36-35).
Big shots from Lamar Oden Jr. and Daylen Berry would keep the Bucs afloat as CSU held on to a minimal lead. Head Coach Nimley's Buccaneers would never have a lead greater than six points yet they would secure the 58-54 victory in the Buc Dome.
Daylen Berry has played 92 minutes in the past two ball games. In the post game press conference, Coach Nimley was asked to describe the level of value Berry brings to the lineup on a consistent basis.
"He gives us everything… I met with him this morning, just thanking him for what he brings to this program and to this team. He is so consistent… He puts his hard hat on, he goes to work, and then he takes the hard hat off when we are done and goes home. That's the type of player I like."
Coach also made note of the CSU trio (Berry, Johnson, and Kelly) who lead the Big South in minutes played this conference season.
"(Daylen Berry) is a high minute guy along with RJ (Johnson) and Taje' (Kelly), and we're really appreciative of that trio for being willing to put their bodies on the line like that."
It has proven to be hard to win Big South Conference games on the road, but the Bucs will have to do just that if they want to improve their conference record to 3-3 when they travel to Clinton, S.C. this coming Wednesday for a battle with the Blue Hose at 7 PM on ESPN+.
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