RADFORD, Va. – American shot 51 percent from the field and used an early second half run to break open a close ball game to defeat Radford, 68-45, Sunday afternoon from Peters Hall. Sophomore Taleia Moton (Fort Washington, Md./Suitland) netted a season-high and tied for a game-high 17 points. American's Liz Leer and Michelle Kirk also posted game-best honors with 17 points apiece.

Box Score

American (8-4) came out of the halftime break, hitting four of its first five shots to spark a 9-2 run that gave them a 34-25 lead, 2:22 into the second stanza. Kirk sparked the run with seven points, capping it off with a transition three after Leer picked off a Radford pass and found Kirk wide open on the left.

Moton answered with a three of her own and senior Johnette Walker (Columbia, S.C./Irmo) converted a layup to get the Highlanders (1-10) within 34-20 at 15:54. That would be as close as Radford would get. American scored the next six points to extend its lead to 40-30.

The Highlanders cut the lead to eight three different times over the next 3:32, but the Eagles answered each basket with a bucket of their own. After the third time, American used a 10-2 run, capped off by five points from Nicole Ryan, to put the game out of reach (57-41) with 4:56 left on the clock.

The Eagles controlled the glass and the paint, holding 43-26 and 37-12 advantages in those respective categories. Talicia Jackson recorded a game-high eight rebounds with Leer and Kirk recording seven and six, respectively. Along with its season-best 51 percent from the field, American also shot 46 percent (6-13) from the three-point arc.

Radford did win the turnover battle, forcing 20 turnovers, 17 coming in the first half and only committing 14. However, the Highlanders struggled shooting the ball. They shot a season-low 29 percent (16-55) from the field. They also hit just 4-of-18 (22.2 percent) threes and 9-of-16 (56.3) free throws.

Senior Vandy Pullen (Arlington, Va./Maine) and Walker chipped in with 10 and nine points, respectively. Pullen and junior Davida Dodson (Silver Spring, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) led the Highlanders on the boards with five apiece.

Behind an 11-3 run, Radford staked itself to a 14-8 lead at 11:08 of the first half. The Highlanders remained in the lead until the Eagles closed out the final 3:30 with an 8-3 run to take a 25-23 advantage into the half. The Eagles took the lead for good when Kirk drained a three with 1:57 on the clock.

Radford begins the New Year and Big South play on Monday, Jan. 5 when it hosts conference newcomer Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m. in Peters Hall.