Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University women's basketball team used a 21-6 run to overcome a 15-point second half deficit and defeat Radford 78-67 Saturday afternoon in Radford, Va. Junior Amy Dodd scored a team-best 15 points and grabbed six rebounds for HPU in the win.

“We started sluggish out of the gate,” said head coach Tooey Loy. “We didn't have the intensity or pressure that we have to have to be a good team. To be honest it took us being down 15 to turn that switch on. Credit our team that they never quit. They stayed together, worked hard and things started happening for us. We played great basketball for 15 minutes.”

High Point improves to 10-6 overall and 3-0 in the Big South with the win, the Panthers first in the Dedmon Center since March 5, 20005.

The Highlanders came out in a full court press but High Point handled the early pressure, taking a 7-2 lead on a three by Dodd and two lay-ups by junior LaTeisha Dean. A baseline jumper by RU's Kaylin Crosier cut the High Point lead to three but a lay-up by senior Ashlee' Samuels and a second three by Dodd pushed the led to 12-4 at the first media timeout.

Down nine, Radford used a 16-5 run to take a two point lead, 22-20, with just under nine minutes left in the half, forcing High Point to call timeout. After hitting eight of their first 10 shots, the Panthers struggled from the field, missing four straight during the Highlander run.

Radford built its lead to six, 33-27, with 2:50 left in the period but a rebound and put back by Samuels and a three by junior Jurica Hargraves cut the lead to one, 33-32. The Highlanders managed a couple lay-ups in the final minute though making the score 39-34 at the half.

Dodd and Dean each scored eight points to lead HPU in the first half while junior Mackenzie Maier finished the half one block short of her own single game record with six in the first 20 minutes. Preseason All-Conference team member Kymesha Alston led all scorers with 10 points in the half for Radford.

Nine straight points out of the half by Radford gave the Highlanders a 14-point lead, 48-34, and forced High Point to call timeout.

After Radford built its lead to 15, 53-38, High Point went on a 17-3 run to cut the RU lead to just one, 56-55 with just over nine minutes in the game. Maier scored seven points in the run including a three from the left side to pull the Panthers within one.

RU pushed the lead back to four with three free throws on the next possession but High Point continued to press and two straight lay-ups by Samuels tied the game at 59-59 with 7:38 remaining. Radford took back the lead with a free throw by Denay Wood but a lay-up by Dodd and two free throws by junior Frances Fields gave HPU its first lead of the second half, 63-60 with just under seven minutes remaining.

The two teams traded baskets over the next five minutes and with 2:42 left in the game three free throws by Hargraves gave HPU a 70-67 lead and sparked a 6-0 run by the Panthers.

Down six, 73-67, with 1:28 left, Radford began to foul but High Point went 5-6 from the line to secure the 78-67 win.

High Point outscored Radford 40-14 in the final 15 minutes, holding the Highlanders to 3-15 shooting and forcing seven turnovers.

HPU finished the game with five players in double figures as Maier had 14 points, Dean had 12 points, Samuels had 11 points and Hargraves had 10 points to go along with Dodd's 15. Samuels led the Panthers with 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.

“I thought we were good in spots,” said Loy. “Early on we were too quick to shoot the ball. It was one pass and try to dribble a seam that wasn't there. In the last 15 minutes our offense really picked up but that was a result of our defense getting stops so we could get out in transition. We are a transition team and when we can get a stop and get out and run, that is when our offense is going to look good. I was pleased with the way we played down the stretch but we need to get to where we are doing that for 40 minutes.”

Maier finished the game with seven blocks tying her own HPU DI single-game record for the second time in three games. The junior has 15 blocks in three Big South contests.

Alston finished with a game-high 21 points for Radford which falls to 2-11 overall and 1-1 in the Big South.

The Panthers continue their two-game road swing on Monday, Jan. 11, when they travel to Boiling Springs, N.C. to play Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m. The Running Bulldogs are 12-3 overall this season including a win over defending Big South champion Liberty.