HPU MBB Hosts Radford In Tuesday ESPN3 Battle

HIGH POINT, N.C. – For the second time in two weeks, the High Point University men’s basketball team (17-5, 8-2) will battle for first place in the Millis Center when the Panthers host Radford (16-7, 7-3) on ESPN3 Tuesday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Millis Center. Tuesday’s game will be streamed nationally on ESPN3, featuring Mike Hogewood (play-by-play) and Phil Ford (color commentary). “Voice of the Panthers” Evan Lepler and Stafford Stephenson also will call the game on the High Point Panthers Radio Network, with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.

HPU’s 8-2 start to Big South play is the team’s best in program history. The Panthers hold a one-game lead for first place in the conference ahead of Radford, UNC Asheville and Charleston Southern.

HPU’s 17-5 overall start is its best since 1995-96. With a victory Tuesday, High Point would reach the 18-win plateau for just the third time in the program’s Division I history.

Last time out, HPU won for the 11th time in the last 13 games with a victory at Liberty (72-53) on Jan. 29 inside the Vines Center. Senior Devante Wallace led HPU with 19 points (5-7 3pt FG) while junior Adam Weary added 17 points.

The Panthers have limited their opponents to 52.7 ppg and 40.9 percent (63-154) shooting over their last three games. The Purple & White now rank first in the Big South in scoring defense (66.3 ppg) in league play.

Wallace needs to make just one more 3-pointer to move into solo possession of fourth place on HPU’s all-time 3-pointers made list. Wallace has made 163 career triples.

Redshirt-junior John Brown ranks 10th on HPU’s all-time scoring list (Div I and non-Div. I) with 1,442 points. He is just 16 points away from moving into the No. 8 spot all-time at High Point.

3-POINT GOGGLES COMING INTO FOCUS
After shooting 32.6 percent from 3-point land during non-conference play, the Panthers have started to find their rhythm during the league slate. HPU leads the Big South in 3-point field goal percentage in league games (.444) as well as overall (.382). Two Panthers are shooting above 40 percent from deep, including Lorenzo Cugini (.469) and Adam Weary (.433). HPU is 8-2 when it shoots 40 percent or better from beyond the arc this season.

A LOOK AT THE HIGHLANDERS (16-7, 7-3)
Radford was picked to finish third in the Big South preseason poll and posted a 9-4 record in non-conference play. The Highlanders’ non-conference slate featured a win over ACC foe Virginia Tech on Dec. 7 in Blacksburg. The Highlanders are 5-6 away from the Dedmon Center this season. Radford has won its last seven league games after starting the conference slate 0-3. In its most recent outing, Radford upended Winthrop, 73-66, on Saturday. RU is led by reigning Big South Player of the Week Javonte Green, who is averaging a team-best 19.1 ppg and 8.1 rebounds per contest in league play. Sophomore guard YaYa Anderson ranks third in the league with a 43.9 percent 3-point percentage in conference games.

HISTORY vs. RADFORD
Tuesday’s matchup with Radford will mark the 40th all-time meeting between the Panthers and Highlanders. Radford holds a 21-17 edge in the all-time series (Radford’s 1/8/11 victory was later forfeited). HPU fell at Radford, 73-66, in the first meeting between the teams this season on Jan. 22 at the Dedmon Center. John Brown led HPU with 21 points (10-16 FG) in the game. The two teams first met on Jan. 23, 1999, with HPU winning 93-89 in overtime in Millis.

UP NEXT
HPU hits the road for a primetime ESPNU matchup with Coastal Carolina on Friday at 9 p.m. in Conway, S.C. Pre-game coverage on the High Point Panthers Radio Network begins at 8:30 p.m.