The Radford Highlanders women’s basketball team defeated Morehead State 77-56 in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) at the Dedmon Center on March 20, with 1,134 fans in attendance. The victory advances Radford to the second round, where they will play Arkansas State on Monday, March 23 at 8:00 p.m.
This win marks Radford’s first postseason victory since defeating Penn State in the first round of the WNIT in 2018. Five Highlanders scored in double figures for the first time since December 2024, demonstrating a balanced offensive effort.
The turning point came late in the second quarter when Radford outscored Morehead State 23-5 over seven minutes. The Highlanders’ defense forced a total of 22 turnovers, including six during a decisive stretch before halftime. Cate Carlson led all scorers with 20 points and made eight of her fifteen shots from the field. Georgia Simonsen contributed a double-double with twelve points and ten rebounds. Radford also excelled at the free throw line, converting sixteen of twenty attempts compared to Morehead State’s three of seven.
The game began as a close contest, with both teams trading leads throughout the first quarter. After trailing by five points midway through the period, Radford tied it up and finished the quarter down by one. In the second quarter, strong defensive play and timely scoring allowed Radford to build a double-digit lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, Ellie Taylor hit an early three-pointer to spark momentum for Radford. Carlson continued her scoring both inside and outside as Radford extended its lead to twenty points heading into the final period. Despite Morehead State’s efforts from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter, Radford maintained control and secured their historic home postseason win.
Looking ahead, Radford will face Arkansas State in Jonesboro on March 23 for a spot in the next round of the WNIT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
