HPU Women’s Basketball Wins Triad Tussle vs. UNCG, 78-67

• The win is the team’s fourth straight and 11th consecutive win inside the Millis Center. It is the program’s third longest streak in the Division I era.
• Redshirt-senior Stacia Robertson was honored as the Big South Player of the Week on Monday afternoon, she celebrated with 23 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the game tonight.
• Sophomore DeAnneisha Jackson scored 14 points in the second half to help aid the comeback win. She finished with 16 points and five rebounds.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team stormed back from a 15-point deficit late in the first half to propel past intra-Triad rival UNCG, 78-67, on Monday night inside the Millis Center.

The win was HPU’s fourth in a row overall and 11th straight inside the Millis Center. The streak is the third-longest home winning streak in the program’s Division I history.

“Our team is continuing to show signs of maturity although we didn’t really come out to play in the first half and UNCG took it to us,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix said afterwards. “I’m really proud of our response, though. It’s a game of runs, but most teams would fold down 15, but we got it together and stayed composed throughout it all.”

HPU trailed by 15 (38-23) with two minutes to go in the first half, but closed the period on a 9-0 run to move within six (38-32) at the break. HPU then used an 11-2 run midway through the second to take a seven-point lead (59-52) the team would not relinquish again for the remainder of the game.

The Panthers shot 62.5 percent (15-24) in the second half and 52.8 percent (28-53) overall while limiting the Spartans to just 26.2 percent (11-42) In the second half and 31.6 percent (24-76) for the game.

HPU held a 42-30 edge in points in the paint for the game and was +5 in assists (18-13) for the contest.

Reigning Big South Player of the Week Stacia Robertson continued her stellar play of late while leading HPU with 23 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in the game. It marked her third straight game with at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Robertson has posted three double-doubles this season.

Sophomore forward DeAnneisha Jackson tallied 16 points and grabbed five rebounds in 21 minutes, while fellow sophomore Kaylah Keys chipped in 12 points and four assists. Senior Latrice Phelps posted 10 points (3-8 FG) and distributed a game-high five assists in 27 minutes for the Panthers. Ashante Richard scored nine points and collected eight rebounds from her point guard position.

The Panthers got the ball inside and took advantage early, scoring their first 12 points in the paint en route to an early 13-7 lead. HPU was held to just two field goals over the next nine minutes as UNCG bounced back with a 25-4 run to build a 31-17 lead with four minutes to play in the half.

With UNCG ahead 38-23 and 2:08 until halftime, HPU closed the half on a 9-0 run to enter the break down just six at 38-32. The run included a 3-pointer and fast-break lay-in from Keys.

HPU dug itself the early hole in large part due to 14 turnovers that led to a 22-11 edge for the Spartans in points off turnovers in the half. HPU shot 44.8 percent (13-29) in the period while UNCG was at 38.2 percent (13-34).

UNCG led HPU 42-34 early in the second half, before the Panthers surged back with a 10-1 run to move ahead 44-43 with 14:59 to play in the game. The teams went back and forth over the next four minutes before the Panthers moved ahead by five (55-50) after back-to-back buckets from Robertson and Jackson.

After UNCG cut it to 55-52, the Panthers used three straight buckets from Jackson to jump in front by eight (62-54). The Spartans cut the lead to three (64-61) with 4:15 to play but could not move any closer for the remainder of the contest, as HPU closed the game on a 14-6 run.

HPU will get 10 days off before traveling to VCU on Thursday, Dec. 18 for a game at 11 a.m. The team will travel from there to Lincoln, Neb. to face off with the No. 12 Cornhuskers on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. The Panthers will then have 10 more days off for the holidays before reentering conference play on Dec. 30 at Coastal Carolina.