Highlanders Fall at Birmingham-Southern

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Taryn Causey (Collierville, Tenn.) tied a career high with 23 points but Radford turned the ball over 32 times as it fell at Birmingham-Southern, 66-55, from Bill Battle Coliseum.

The Panthers recorded 23 steals as they improved the 8-12 overall and 3-5 in the Big South. The Highlanders dip below .500 at 10-11 overall and 4-4 in the Conference.

Box Score

Four Panther players were in double figures, including career highs from sophomores Britni Ballard (Andalusia, Ala./Pleasant Home) and Muneca Oliver (Tampa, Fla./Armwood).

The Panthers led for much of the first half, jumping out to a 12-6 lead with 15:33 on the clock for the largest margin of the first period. Radford came back and pulled ahead by two, 19-17, at the 10:24 mark, and the teams kept it even for the remainder of the half, taking a 31-31 tie into the locker rooms at halftime.

BSC took care of the ball in the first half, committing only three turnovers and forcing Radford to turn it over 16 times. The Panthers also grabbed 12 steals in the first half, but pulled down only 10 rebounds while Radford grabbed 27. The Highlanders also out-shot BSC in the first half, shooting 52.4 percent while the Panthers were 35.1 percent from the field.

In the second half, the Panthers turned the defensive pressure up even higher, slowly widening the margin and holding RU to 33.3 percent from the field. BSC also forced 16 more turnovers from Radford for a season-high 32 and committed nine more turnovers for a season-low 12. The Panthers grabbed a season-high 23 steals for the game and scored 32 points off turnovers in the game.

BSC shot 37.7 percent from the field for the entire game and 35.3 percent from three-point land, and the Highlanders were 41.7 percent overall and 42.9 percent on three-pointers. Radford out-rebounded BSC, 49-28.

Shavon Earp (Hampton, Va.) was also in double digits for RU with 10 points, and Kelli Darden (Chesapeake, Va.) led the Highlanders with nine rebounds and four blocks. Causey also had seven assists.

Ballard led the Panthers, who played without leading scorer Stacey Anthony, with her career-high 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and Oliver chipped in a career-high 12 points. Junior Crystal Reed (San Antonio, Texas/Dodge City CC) also recorded 12 points, and sophomore Pam Thornborrow (Hillsboro, Ore./Glencoe) tallied 11 points. Reed also grabbed a career-high eight steals, which ties the single-game record, and blocked two shots.