BOX SCORE

CLINTON, S.C. – Da'Naria Erwin Spencer scored a career-high 30 points and Radford held off several charges from Presbyterian for a 78-71 victory, Monday evening from the Templeton Center.

WIth the win, the Highlanders (13-14, 10-4 Big South) take a one-game lead over Gardner-Webb for second place.

Erwin Spencer, who scored 21 in the second half, was 10-for-16 from the field and hit 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. She also tied for a game-high seven rebounds. Her performance from the free throw line helped the Highlanders bounce back from a poor showing (23-41) on Saturday as they went 25-33 (.758) tonight.

She became the first 30-point Radford scorer in over four years when Kelli Darden tallied 31 on Feb. 10, 2007 at Winthrop.

Radford shot 52 percent for the second straight game as four player recorded double figures for the first time this season.

Mariah Pietrowski led the Blue Hose (9-19, 5-10) with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor and 8-of-12 from the line.

In the second half, the Highlanders hit their five shots to open an early 42-32 lead, but a 17-6 run, capped off by a Karlee Taylor three-pointer gave the Blue Hose their first lead of the game, 49-48, with just under 12 minutes on the clock.

But as Radford had done all game, Denay Wood answered with a triple of her own on the next possession.

PC tied it on two Pietrowski freebies 18 seconds later, but Sarah Tabb made one of two from the charity stripe at 11:06 to give Radford the lead (52-51) for good.

Pietrowski's short jumper at the 6:49 mark got PC within one possession for the last time as Brooke McElroy and Erwin Spencer quickly pushed Radford's lead back to seven (64-57).

The Highlanders would hit seven of their final eight charity tosses to ice the contest.

Joining Erwin Spencer in double figures were McElroy (13), Wood (10) and Victoria Hamilton with 10. Hamilton dished out three assists.

Radford raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first 2:45 and led by as much as 12 (20-8), but Presbyterian battled back and cut the deficit to two points before the Highlanders took a 32-28 lead into half time.

Behind seven of Erwin Spencer's nine first half points, Radford led 20-8 at the 11:44 mark. However, Taylor and two free throws put PC within two (30-28) before a jumper gave Radford its four-point advantage at the break.

The Highlanders held onto the ball, committing just 11 turnovers, while forcing 16.

Radford closes out the regular season on the road next weekend, beginning with High Point on Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m.