BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Radford used a strong defensive effort to erase a 13-point second-half deficit and remain atop the Big South Conference with a 49-45 victory over Presbyterian, Saturday afternoon from the Dedmon Center. The victory was also the 600th in the Highlanders' 40-year history.

The Highlanders (8-11, 5-1 Big South) trailed 35-22 with 13:04 remaining and then turned up the defensive pressure. Radford held PC (5-12, 2-3) to 1-for-9 from the floor and forced 10 turnovers as it turned a 13-point deficit to an eight-point lead with 23 seconds remaining.

Kaylyn Crosier, who started the comeback with a bucket at 12:36, put Radford in the lead (40-39) for good with a long jumper with just over four minutes remaining. She finished with five points and two steals.

POST-GAME: Tajama Abraham Ngongba

Radford had nine of its 21 steals during the comeback. For the second straight game, Kahealani Vick paced the defensive effort with a career-high five steals and two blocks.

Denay Wood led the Highlanders with a game-high 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.

Mariah Pietrowski was the only Blue Hose in double figures with 11 points and a game-best eight rebounds. PC out rebounded Radford, 39-27.

Presbyterian closed out the final 3:38 of the first half with a 10-2 run to take a 23-20 lead into the lockerroom. 18 of Radford's 20 points came off of 17 PC miscues. They finished the contest with 29 points of off 30 Blue Hose turnovers.

Trailing 18-17, Kristen Stevens and Amanda Mills hit back-to-back trifectas to cap off a half-ending run. It was the Blue Hose's first lead of the contest when Mills' three fell at the 1:03 mark. PC hits 5-of-9 (55.6 percent) from long range for the game.

Mills and Parker ended the contest with seven and six points, respectively for PC.

The Blue Hose opened the second half with their third straight triple and extended their lead to 13 (35-22) courtesy of a 22-4 run over the two halves.

Crosier's jumper ended the Highlanders' 8:32 drought that also spanned both halves. Along with back-to-back steals and buckets, that combination ignited a 14-2 spurt that got Radford back into the contest (36-37) with 8:06 remaining.

After Dria David pushed PC's lead back to three (39-36), Da'Naria Erwin Spencer hit a pair of charity tosses and after two more Blue Hose miscues, Crosier drained the go-ahead bucket.

Radford never trailed again. Presbyterian hit a couple of threes in the closing seconds to get within 48-45, but Victoria Hamilton end the comeback with a free throw with 0.1 seconds on the clock.

It was the second straight double-digit, second half come-from-behind victory for the Highlanders and the third of the season.

Radford, which had nine first half turnovers, finished the game with 13 after taking care of the ball in the second half, committing just four miscues.

Erwin Spencer chipped in with nine points and three assists, while Hamilton added five points, six boards and two steals for the Highlanders.

Radford returns to the floor on Monday, Jan. 24 hosting Charleston Southern at 7 p.m.