LEXINGTON, KY. -- Playing in the final game of her decorated Furman career, Tierra Hodges scored a game high 25 points and claimed 13 rebounds to power the Paladins past Northeastern, 69-61, in the consolation bracket of the Women's Basketball Invitational on Sunday afternoon at the Clive M. Beck Center.

The win earned Furman (20-14) its first 20-win season since the 1999-00 campaign, when the Paladins posted a 20-11 slate with current head coach Jackie Carson in uniform.  Carson is in her 12th season as mentor at her alma mater.

Hodges, the consensus Southern Conference Player of the Year, delivered a stellar outing in her 144th and final game as a Paladin, connecting on 9-of-18 shots and 7-of-8 free throws in her full 40 minutes of action.  The double-double was her 22nd of the season and 56th of her career — both school standards.  The Covington, Ga., product finished her Paladin tenure ranked fourth in program history in scoring (1,719 pts.) and first in rebounding (1,303 rebs.).

Furman led 63-61 when Sydney James drained a 3-pointer with 47 seconds to go to put the Paladins up, 66-61. Following a missed 3-pointer by Northeastern, James was fouled and proceeded to convert a two free throws with 35 seconds to go for a 68-61 advantage.

Hodges finished off the game's scoring with a free throw.

Greenville native Greyson Boone, another Paladin playing in her final game, registered a career high 14-point performance on the strength of 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.  She was followed in the scoring column by James, who finished with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Furman took a 38-25 lead into halftime but saw Northeastern trim it to five points after Claudia Soriano stroked a 3-pointer to make it a 43-38 contest with 6:16 to go in the third quarter.

The Paladins pushed their advantage to 52-43 heading to the fourth quarter and survived the Huskies' rally on the strength of James, who contributed eight of 13 points in the quarter.

Soriano topped Northestern with a 24-point outing, and Gemima Motema followed with a 23-point effort.

Furman connected on 24-of-54 shots (.444), including 9-of-25 attempts from 3-point range (.360).