BOX SCORE

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kaylyn Crosier rang in the New Year by scoring a career and game-high 20 points and Radford shot a season-best 53 percent in defeating UNC Asheville, 81-69, Monday evening in the Big South women's basketball opener for both teams from the Justice Center.

Crosier was 9-for-14 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from long range. She also pulled down four rebounds and dished out three assists.

Along with the season-high shooting percentage, the Highlanders (4-10, 1-0 Big South) dished out a season-best 21 assists and committed a season-low 12 turnovers for its first positive assist/turnover ratio of the season.

Radford improved to 19-6 in Big South openers, 3-0 under head coach Tajama Abraham Ngongba, and 6-1 in league openers on the road.

Brooke McElroy, Erica Rivera and Denay Wood chipped in with 14, 11 and 10 points, respectively, marking the first game with four players in double figures.

Kelli Riles matched Crosier with 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to post a double-double for the Bulldogs (7-5, 0-1).

The Highlanders also snapped a five-game slide and an eight-game streak of 20-plus miscues with their season-low performance.

Radford shot 51.5 percent (17-33) and received a combined 20 points from Crosier and Rivera to take a 43-34 lead into halftime.

It was the first 40-point and highest scoring half of the season, along with being just the fourth time the Highlanders led at the break. Crosier led all scorers with 11 points, 5-of-6 shooting, with Rivera chipping in with nine off the bench.

On an early bucket by Ciara Hayes, Radford took the lead (4-2) for good just 2:22 into the game. Hayes finished the contest with eight points.

Following a putback by Riles, Radford broke open the game with a 22-7 run that was capped off by Crosier's first three of the contest. She tallied seven points during the run.

The Bulldogs were able to cut the Highlanders' lead to 38-30 at 2:29 with an 11-4 run. That would be as close as they would get as Rivera drained a three and hit two free throws in a 13-second span to push Radford's advantage to 13 before UNCA scored the final four points to get within nine at the break.

The Highlanders continued their hot-shooting as they scored the first bucket of the second half and held a double-digit lead the rest of the way. They pushed their lead to as many as 21 on two occasions midway through the stanza before finishing with the 12-point victory.

UNCA edged Radford on glass (34-32) while the Highlanders won the turnover battle. McElroy led Radford with eight caroms and also tied teammate Da'Naria Erwin Spencer with three steals apiece.

Erwin Spencer also dished out a game-high eight assists and chipped in with nine points.

Radford returns home on Saturday, Jan. 8 hosting Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m.