Danny Gathings scored a career-high 32 points as High Point opened Big South play with an 81-67 win over Radford under the Dedmon Center roof Saturday night.

The Panthers (5-6, 1-0 Big South) won in the Dedmon Center for the first time ever, and have now built a three-game win streak.

Radford, which opened conference play with a win over defending-champion Winthrop Thursday night, falls to 3-10 (1-1).

Gathings and Kashawn Hampton combined for the Panthers' first 20 points and HPU led by as many as 20 in the first half. Joe Knight hit three of his four three-point attempts before halftime to help HPU build a 38-18 advantage before the Highlanders went on an 8-0 run to pull within 38-26 at the break.

The Panthers pushed their lead up to 15 points at 53-40 after a Gathings layup, but the Highlanders mounted a charge which cut the lead to single-digits and eventually to three at 65-62 following a jumper by Raymond Arrington with 2:57 to go. But HPU scored the next nine points to put things out of reach.

Knight (16 points), Dustin Van Weerdhuizen (13 points, 10 rebounds), and Hampton (10 points) all reached double-figures for the Panthers.

The Highlanders were led in scoring by Arrington's 24 points.

HPU returns to action next Thursday night at Liberty (6-6). Tip-off in the Vines Center is set for 7:00 pm.