ELSAH, Ill. -  The Spalding University women's basketball team trailed by one at the half, but used a big second half to roll past Principia College, 69-46, Saturday afternoon at the Hay Field House in Elsah, Ill. The Golden Eagles improve to 9-4 overall and 3-3 in SLIAC competition.

Alex Martin dropped a game-high 21 points to lead the Golden Eagles. Junior forward Maya Hardin added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Mackenzie Myers chipped in nine points, eight rebounds and five steals. Kara Johnson led Principia with 16 points, and Sophia Hathaway added 11 points.

The Golden Eagles started out ice cold hitting just 3-of-10 field goal attempts, while committing seven turnovers allowing Principia to race out to an 18-10 lead after one quarter. Three early free throws by Julie Skaggs (1) and Myers (2) gave Spalding a 3-2 lead, but SU missed seven of their next nine shots as the Panthers outscored them 16 to 4 to take an 18-7 lead with 2:04 to play in the period. After a pair of empty possessions Hardin drilled a three-pointer to cut the margin to single digits heading into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Spalding cut the deficit to one point before the halftime break. Maddie Martin and Alex Martin fueled an 8-0 Spalding run to start the quarter. Maddie scoring the first four points on a pair of layups, and Alex the next four on a layup and jumper to knot the score at 18-18 with 5:41 remaining. A Johnson jumper put the Panthers back in front, but a 4-0 Eagle spurt gave the Eagles at 22-20 lead, their first lead since leading 3-2 a minute thirty-one into the game. However, Megan Selby answered with a three on Prin's next possession to give the Panthers a 23-22 advantage heading into the half.

The Golden Eagles came out of the break on fire connecting on their first five field goal attempts igniting a 15-0 SU run, capped off by an Alex Martin layup to give Spalding a 14-point lead at 37-23. Principia answered with an 8-0 run cutting the lead to six on a Selby three, but the Golden Eagles outscored the Panthers 7-2 to end the quarter taking a 44-33 lead into the final ten minutes.

Spalding kept the momentum rolling in the fourth quarter outscoring Principia 16-7 to balloon the lead to 19 points at 60-41. The Golden Eagles would go on to push the lead to 25 points on a Hunter three-pointer with 2:12 to play, Spalding's largest margin of the game, and the Eagles went on to win, 69-46.

Up next, Spalding will host a pair of SLIAC opponents. The Golden Eagles take on MacMurray Wednesday, January 13 at 6:00 p.m. EST, and finish the week off with a 1:00 p.m. tipoff versus Webster Saturday, January 16.