CONWAY, S.C. — In a game in which both sides would have had difficulty throwing the ball into the nearby Atlantic Ocean, Radford survived an ugly defensive tussle with higher-seeded Presbyterian on Friday to set up an all-Virginia matchup in today’s semifinals of the Big South women’s basketball tournament.

Despite shooting only 25 percent from the field, the sixth-seeded Highlanders staved off a late comeback by third seed Presbyterian to pull out a 41-38 triumph that catapulted them into a 6 p.m. date today with No. 7 Longwood at Coastal Carolina’s HTC Center.

“It’s a great day for the state of Virginia. Virginia is happy back home,” happy Radford coach Tajama Ngongba said.

Well, the shooters weren’t real happy about this one. The two teams couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn in the first half. Radford was 6 for 30 from the field and Presbyterian 4 for 22 in a first half that concluded with the Highlanders on top 20-15.

It was 1-0 Radford at the first media timeout 4:49 into the game, prompting some on press row to wonder if Ngongba’s aggressive defense might throw a shutout. The 79 total points tied a tournament record for lowest output in a game.

“Well, one thing we understand is the importance of defense,” the fifth-year RU coach said. “You’re going to have games, you’re going to have possessions where things just don’t work out. I thought we had some good looks at times, at times I thought we didn’t move the ball very well, and we need to do a better job of that [today].

“But overall I thought we understood the sense of urgency … if we just didn’t get a basket, neither shall they.”

Presbyterian (19-11), which entered the day shooting 43.7 percent from the floor, misfired on 17 of its 20 shots. The Blue Hose lost starting senior guard Dria David only 2:37 into the bruising affair with hyperextended knee. Radford pounded the Hose 48-29 on the backboards, including a 19-6 edge on the offensive glass.

Diani Mason, a quick, 5-foot-8 freshman guard from Queens, N.Y., led Radford with 12 points. Senior forward Sarah Tabb had 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Senior leader Victoria Hamilton had six points, seven rebounds and five steals for the Highlanders.

“I’m really proud of how hard our team gutted out this win … on the boards, taking care of the ball, defending,” Ngongba said.

The Highlanders (16-13) won despite an off-game from second-team All-Big South guard Ashley Buckhannon. The senior from Wytheville was 1 for 9 from the floor and finished with a season-low three points.

“I think Ashley understands that she’s going to have to play better [today],” Ngongba said. “She’s going to show up and show out!”

Radford built its lead to 37-26 on Hamilton’s jumper with 10 minutes left. A 12-2 run enabled Presbyterian to close to 39-28 with 23 seconds left. Radford’s Breshara Gordon missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Presbyterian’s Devin Fothergill fumbled the ball out of bounds driving to the hoop with 3 seconds left. Gordon’s two free throws locked up the win.

Radford and Longwood (13-18) split a pair of regular-season meetings. The pace will be much quicker today.

“A completely different style of basketball, night and day,” Ngongba said. “But I think we like that style better. We like to run.”

Win today and Radford will play for a league title on Sunday.

“We have one goal — just to win the ring,” Hamilton said.

RADFORD (16-13)

Tabb 2-9 6-8 10, Holmes 0-1 0-0 0, Gordon 3-8 3-5 9, Hamilton 2-9 2-3 6, Buckhannon 1-9 1-1 3, Foy 0-1 0-0 0, Avery 0-0 0-0 0, Mason 5-13 1-1 12, McIvor 0-0 0-0 0, Reskoska 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-2 1-2 1, Totals 13-52 14-20 41.

PRESBYTERIAN (19-11)

Burnside 5-15 4-6 14, Pietrowski 2-9 2-2 6, David 0-1 0-0 0, Taylor 3-7 0-0 8, Fothergill 0-3 0-0 0, Carter 2-7 0-0 5, Hobbie 1-3 0-0 3, Parker 0-0 0-0 0, Allen 0-1 2-2 2, Totals 13-46 8-10 38.

Halftime — Radford 20-15. 3-point goals — Radford 1-7 (Mason 1-4, Buckhannon 0-3), Presbyterian 4-9 (Taylor 2-4, Carter 1-3, Hobbie 1-2). Rebounds — Radford 48 (Tabb 9), Presbyterian 29 (Pietrowski 6). Assists — Radford 2 (Buckhannon 1, Foy 1), Presbyterian 8 (Fothergill 2, Parker 2). Steals — Radford 9 (Hamilton 5), Presbyterian 6 (Taylor 3). Turnovers — Radford 14 (Holmes 4), Presbyterian 14 (Taylor 3, Fothergill 3). Total fouls — Radford 11, Presbyterian 18. Fouled out — Carter. A — 1,882.

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