SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Del Jones scored 27 points and Radford built a massive first-half lead before holding off a furious second-half rally by Gardner-Webb to secure an 89-80 victory in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Paul Porter Arena.

The Highlanders (10-9, 2-2 Big South) appeared poised for a runaway victory after a dominant opening period, taking a 45-31 lead into halftime. They shot just 43.3% from the floor in the half but controlled the glass with 11 offensive rebounds, leading to 11 second-chance points, and forced eight Gardner-Webb turnovers. Jones had 15 of his points before the break, including a driving layup just before the halftime buzzer.

But the Runnin’ Bulldogs (2-17, 0-4), who entered the game having lost 16 of their first 18, mounted a relentless comeback after intermission. Sparked by DJ Jefferson and Jacob Hogarth, Gardner-Webb opened the second half on a 17-7 run, cutting the deficit to 52-48 with 15:31 remaining. Jefferson scored 17 of his 21 points after halftime, while Hogarth finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.

The game’s most critical sequence came with just over eight minutes to play and Radford’s once-comfortable lead whittled down to 70-68. Following a Gardner-Webb timeout, the Highlanders’ defense stiffened. On the ensuing possession, Dennis Parker blocked a Hogarth layup attempt, leading to a defensive rebound by Jones. Radford then worked the ball to Jaylon Johnson, who found Jones for a clutch 3-pointer from the wing to push the lead back to five points with 7:37 left.

That shot ignited a decisive 9-2 spurt for the Highlanders. Parker, who finished with 17 points, three assists and a block, followed with a 3-pointer of his own, and Tyson Brown added a putback layup to extend the advantage to 79-70 with 4:09 remaining. Gardner-Webb would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

While the Runnin’ Bulldogs won the second half 49-44 and shot a blistering 61.5% from the field after halftime, they could never overcome their early struggles or Radford’s significant advantages in key hustle categories. The Highlanders finished with a commanding 17-5 edge in offensive rebounds, leading to a 21-6 advantage in second-chance points. Radford also scored nine fast-break points to Gardner-Webb’s two.

Johnson provided crucial support for Jones with 16 points and four assists for Radford. Brown added 12 points and nine rebounds, and Brennan Rigsby chipped in 11 points. The Highlanders attempted 13 more field goals than Gardner-Webb, a direct result of their offensive rebounding and a slight turnover edge, committing seven to the Bulldogs’ 10.

For Gardner-Webb, Jefferson’s 21 points led all scorers in the second half. Colin Hawkins added 13 points and four assists, and Curtis Williams scored 10 points. The Bulldogs were efficient inside, scoring 44 points in the paint, but were hampered by 5-for-20 shooting from 3-point range.

Radford, which had alternated wins and losses over its previous six games, steadied itself with the road conference win. The Highlanders will look to build momentum when they host Longwood on Saturday. Gardner-Webb, still in search of its first Big South victory, will try to break its 10-game losing streak when it hosts Presbyterian on Saturday.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 765, saw Radford cover the pregame spread as an 11-point favorite. The total points scored, 167, fell just under the over/under line of 166.