The Radford Highlanders women’s basketball team will play against Arkansas State in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on March 23. The game is set for 8:00 p.m. at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
This matchup follows Radford’s recent win over Morehead State, where they secured a 77-58 victory in front of the largest crowd among all WNIT first-round hosts. The win marked only the fourth WNIT victory in program history and the second during Head Coach Mike McGuire’s tenure. Junior Cate Carlson led with 20 points and eight rebounds, while freshman Georgia Simonsen recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Radford had five players score in double figures for the first time since December 2024 against UVA Wise, and for the first time against a Division I opponent since February 2024 versus Charleston Southern. The team forced Morehead State into committing 22 turnovers, including six during a key stretch late in the first half when Morehead State failed to score for over four minutes.
Monday’s contest will be notable as it marks Radford’s first-ever game played in Arkansas and their first matchup against an Arkansas-based opponent. It is also their first trip west of the Mississippi River since participating in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic in December 2017. This season is historic for Radford as it will be their record-setting 36th game, surpassing previous seasons.
Freshman Georgia Simonsen has been recognized as Big South Freshman of the Year and recently earned all-tournament honors after several high-scoring performances. Joi Williams set a school record with 76 total points scored during this year’s Big South Tournament and became one of only five players in program history to score at least thirty points in three games within a season.
Arkansas State enters Monday’s game after finishing third in the Sun Belt Conference with a record of 24-9. They are making their second consecutive postseason appearance following last year’s NCAA Tournament debut. The Red Wolves lead NCAA Division I teams by forcing an average of nearly twenty-seven turnovers per game and attempt almost thirty-five three-pointers per contest.
