High Point Women’s Basketball Holds On To Win At Asheville, 58-57

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team escaped UNC Asheville with a 58-57 win on Saturday at Kimmel Arena in Asheville, N.C. Junior Cheyenne Parker made a free throw to give High Point the lead and she came up with the defensive rebound on Asheville’s last possession.

Parker finished the game with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season. Parker was fouled by Page Love with 26 second left in the game. She hit the first free throw to put HPU ahead by one, 58-57. Asheville drove down the court and missed two shots in the final second. Parker collected the defensive board and held on to secure the win.

“Asheville played a very, very good game,” said head coach DeUnna Hendrix. “They came out and worked hard for 40 minutes. It is tough to play on the road and we are very lucky to leave with a win. Our team is maturing every day and we can take a lot form this game. Lexi Patterson played great defense down the stretch and she is a great example of us getting better every day.”

High Point improves to 7-6 on the season and 1-1 in Big South Conference action. UNC Asheville falls to 2-11 overall and 0-2 in league games. High Point has won the last eight meetings with the Bulldogs.

Redshirt-sophomore Stacia Robertson had 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for High Point. Redshirt-sophomore Lindsay Puckett added eight points and graduate student Kendra Wallace scored seven points with four rebounds.

In a close first half the biggest lead was UNC Asheville by seven, 14-7, with 10:58 to play. After back-to-back layups from Parker and Robertson, Wallace tied the game with a three-pointer at 8:22. Senior Jazmin Cromartie put in a layup, assisted by sophomore Ashante Richard, with 2:13 left in the first half to give High Point a 21-20 lead. The Bulldogs took the lead back 26-23 after a tre by Grace Blaylock and a layup from Kelli Riles. Puckett closed the gap to one on a fastbreak layup as time ran out. High Point trailed 26-25 at the half.

Parker scored eight straight baskets for the Panthers to turn a 33-29 deficit to a 45-41 lead. Asheville answered with a 8-0 run capped up with a jump shot from Shonese Jones to regain the lead 49-45. Asheville extended the lead to 54-49.

Puckett drained a three with 3:54 remaining in the game to cut the lead to 54-52. Patterson forced a turnover on the inbound pass and laid the ball in to tie the game 54-54. Patterson forced another turnover and this time Robertson converted the layup to give HPU a 56-54 lead.

Riles tied the game back up for Asheville, 57-57, after making one of her two free throws. Parker made one free throw of her own on the other end of the court to give HPU the one-point advantage. Parker’s defensive rebounds on Asheville’s last possession was her 10th rebound of the game, securing her 11th double-double of the season.

High Point returns to the Millis Center on Jan. 3 to face Big South opponent Charleston Southern. The game begins at 7 p.m. The Panthers are 20-11 against CSU and split the season series last year with each team winning at home.