HPU Women’s Basketball Season Ends With Loss to Campbell

CONWAY, S.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team lost an overtime contest to Campbell, 74-73, in the quarterfinals of the Big South Conference Tournament on Friday in Conway, S.C. Junior Cheyenne Parker collected a defensive rebound with 16 seconds left but HPU couldn’t get the last-chance shot to fall.

“I hate for our seniors to go out like that,” said head coach DeUnna Hendrix. “Campbell is a tough team with a lot of fight and a lot of heart and we all saw that tonight. We didn’t have an answer for the press in the second half but we never quit and I am proud of this team. Through every obstacle and adversity this season this team stuck together and the same will be true after this loss.”

High Point led by 24 points early in the second half after back-to-back layups by redshirt-sophomore Stacia Robertson. The Camels fought back in to the game with pressure defense, scoring 17 points off 18 HPU turnovers in the second half. Tonisha Baker gave Campbell a 66-65 lead with 1:46 left in regulation with a fade-away jumper. Parker tied the game with a free throw and Baker once again scored to give Campbell a 68-66 lead. On the last possession Parker grabbed an offensive rebound and found Robertson for layup to tie the game and send it to overtime.

It was a low-scoring five-minute overtime with the Camels needing just six points to secure the win. Campbell scored the first six points of the period and HPU answered with a five-point run, capped off with a free throw by Parker with 22 seconds left. Kiera Gaines missed a free throw for the Camels and Parker grabbed the rebound with 16 seconds remaining. HPU made it down the court but couldn’t get the shot to fall, losing to the Camels 74-73.

Parked posted her 23rd double-double of the season with 18 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Robertson also finished with a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Redshirt-sophomore Lindsay Puckett added 18 points.

Baker led Campbell with a career-high 31 points as well as 10 rebounds. Presley Roslyn added 13 points.

Robertson grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled by Monique Spry with 16:25 on the clock in the first half. She made both free throws to give HPU an 8-6 lead and start a 13-0 run for the Panthers. Graduate student Wallace capped the run with a three pointer at 11:54 to give HPU a 19-6 lead. Baker scored for Campbell at 11:31 to end the Camels’ scoreless streak.

High Point led by 14, 28-14, with 8:23 on the clock after a basket by Spry. On the next Campbell possession Robertson stole the ball from Gaines and passed it ahead to Puckett for a wide-open three pointer. The Panthers kept up the defensive pressure and built a 23-point lead with 2:51 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Lexi Patterson stole the ball from Presly at halfcourt and went down for the fastbreak layup to give HPU the 40-17 lead. High Point took a 42-22 lead in to the locker room at halftime.

Campbell controlled the second half, forcing 18 HPU turnovers while committing just five. With 10:09 to play in the half Tayler Tremblay rolled off a screen and laid in the ball to give HPU a 60-45 lead. From there Campbell went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to three, 60-57, after a steal and layup by Zena Lovette. Tremblay and Puckett scored two straight baskets to push the lead back to eight, 65-57, with five minutes to play. Another 9-0 run gave Campbell its first lead of the second half and led to Robertson’s layup to send the game to overtime.

High Point finishes the season with a 17-13 record in Hendrix’s first season, including a 11-7 mark in league play. Campbell improves to 20-10 and advances to the Big South Tournament semifinals.

One thought on “HPU Women’s Basketball Season Ends With Loss to Campbell

  1. This was a totally awesome game and much better in person than what is written!! There was so much energy on both sides in the gym last night! Proud of my Camel girls & not giving up!!

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