HPU MBB Faces Off With William & Mary Saturday

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s basketball team (5-2) returns to the Millis Center to take on CAA foe William & Mary (5-2) on Saturday evening at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s game is “Heroes Night” and the “Night of Champions” inside the Millis Center. The Panthers will honor local military, police, firefighters and EMS during the game and highlight each of HPU’s Big South Championship teams from 2014 at halftime.

Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on the Big South Network. Live audio featuring Evan Lepler and Stafford Stephenson also will be available via the “live audio” link on highpointpanthers.com, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Ford Martin and Sean Hamilton will have the call on BSN.

Last time out, the Panthers captured a 76-68 victory over intra-Triad rival UNCG on Monday night inside the Greensboro Coliseum. The Panthers used an 11-2 run midway through the second half to take command of the game.

Redshirt-junior forward John Brown led HPU with 24 points (10-12 FT) and grabbed seven rebounds in the game. The pre-season Big South Player of the Year is averaging 25.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg over HPU’s last two games. Senior Devante Wallace chipped in 15 points (7-8 FT) for HPU, including a stretch in which he scored 11-straight points for the Panthers during that crucial 11-2 run in the second half.

The game vs. UNCG featured 45 fouls, and the Panthers took advantage by connecting on 28-of-33 free throw attempts (.848). It marked the most free throws made in a game by an HPU squad since Nov. 13, 2010 when the Panthers knocked down 36 vs. Ferrum. The 28 free throws also were the fifth-most in HPU single-game history (DI era).

MCINTYRE’S METTLE
Since the injury to Adam Weary during the Nov. 25 game vs. William Peace, junior Haiishen McIntyre has performed well in the starting point guard role. McIntyre has averaged 5.7 ppg, 4.7 apg and shot 50.0% from the field over the last three games. The Harrisburg, Pa., native dished out a career-best 10 assists at Clemson on Nov. 28.

A LOOK AT THE TRIBE (5-2)
William & Mary has won five of its first seven games to begin the 2014-15 campaign, including wins at Rice (69-65) and over preseason SoCon favorite Wofford (66-62). W&M was picked to finish second in the 2014-15 CAA preseason poll behind Northeastern. The Tribe is led by preseason CAA Player of the Year Marcus Thornton. The senior guard is averaging 19.9 points per game and shooting 51.2 percent from the field. Thornton posted a career-best 37 points (14-18 FG, 8-11 3pt FG) in the Tribe’s 68-67 loss at Richmond on Wednesday. Sophomore Omar Prewitt is second on the team with 9.9 ppg, while junior Terry Tarpey leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg), assists per game (2.9) and also chips in 7.0 ppg.

HISTORY vs. WILLIAM & MARY
Saturday’s matchup will mark the fifth all-time meeting between High Point and William & Mary, with the Panthers holding a 3-2 advantage in the all-time series. The series is tied 2-2 in the Division I era. The teams first met during the 1939-40 season, with the Panthers picking up a 45-24 win in High Point. HPU and William & Mary have split two meetings over the past two seasons, with HPU falling to the Tribe (83-61) in Millis on Nov. 17, 2012, before winning in Williamsburg, 80-69, on Nov. 20 last season. John Brown posted 18 points and 12 rebounds in last season’s meeting.

HISTORY vs. CAA OPPONENTS
The Panthers are 102-90 (.531) all-time against current members of the Colonial Athletic Association. The bulk of those meetings have come against new CAA member Elon, with the two teams matching up 162 times during HPU’s NAIA, Division II and Division I days. Elon competed in the Big South from 1999-03 during HPU’s Division I era. In HPU’s most recent meeting with a CAA team, the Panthers fell against James Madison, 84-69, on Dec. 14 last season.

UP NEXT
HPU hits the road to take on No. 14/13 Ohio State on Wednesday (Dec. 10) in Columbus. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Value City Arena. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, with streaming audio featuring “Voice of the Panthers” Evan Lepler also available via highpointpanthers.com.