For the Highlanders of Radford, Will There Be Only One?

The famous line from the movie Highlander is “There can be only one.” But for the Highlanders of Radford University, they’re hoping that doesn’t apply to NCAA Tournament wins.

After knocking off LIU-Brooklyn 71-61 Tuesday night in Dayton, Radford heads to The Steel City to face the Number 1 Seed Villanova Wildcats.

Radford has already made history in this tournament. They won their first ever NCAA Tournament game and their mascot, who bears a striking resemblance to a young Josh Brolin, was ranked the #1 mascot of the Tournament. So, even if the Tournament ended today, there is still a lot to celebrate. But as with all competitors, there is always the will to win, so let’s take a look at what the Highlanders are up against in Pittsburgh.

Radford’s Blue-Collar Defense is Coming to the Steel City 🔜 Thursday (6:50PM)

Highlanders pick up first @marchmadness win in school history with a 71-61 win over LIU Brooklyn #Time2Dance #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/eCxLjxfmXI

— Radford Men’s Hoops (@RadfordMBB) March 14, 2018

It’s not news that Villanova is a great basketball team. They won the NCAA Tournament two years ago, so they are no stranger to the lights and excitement of March Madness. Jay Wright will have his guys ready and they feature some of the best players in the country, including BIG EAST Freshman of the year Omari Spellman. To put it lightly, they are formidable.

Radford will have their work cut out for them and Vegas Oddsmakers have them as a 23 point underdog heading into Thursday’s action on TNT. Most people already have Villanova written in black sharpie on their brackets and are looking ahead to the Round of 32 game against the winner of Virginia Tech and Alabama. But March Madness isn’t about rationality, it’s about drama and surprises. And maybe the team that won its first NCAA Tournament game might give the national powerhouse a run for their money. Stranger things have happened.

Whatever the outcome, the Highlanders have already made a splash and have laid the groundwork for more NCAA magic in years to come. And at the end of the day, they still have the best mascot in the Tournament and not the creepiest.