HPU Women’s Basketball Wraps Up Non-Conference Slate At Elon

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team brings its non-conference schedule to a close with a 3:30 p.m. contest at Elon on Saturday.

The Panthers (3-7) are coming off a 69-39 setback to VCU in the Millis Center on Wednesday night after taking 11 days off for finals. On the other hand, Elon is 6-2 with its most recent win over N.C. State by a score of 69-66 Dec. 12.

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SCHEDULE NOTE
The contest between HPU and Elon will begin after Elon’s men’s basketball team plays UNCG at 1:00 p.m. Therefore, stay tuned to @HPUWBB for updates on any possible delays.

LAST TIME OUT
The pressing VCU defense forced HPU into 23 turnovers in its 69-39 win on Wednesday in the Millis Center. Junior Kaylah Keys paced the Panthers with 14 points and four steals on the night. Freshman Haleigh Hatfield scored eight points in the first quarter as HPU took a 13-11 lead before the Rams answered with a run to take control of the contest.

KEYS’ CLIMB
• Junior Kaylah Keys is the second-highest active scorer in the Big South Conference behind Liberty’s Ashley Rininger.
• Keys is sixth on HPU’s Division I scoring list with 1,187 points in just two-plus seasons.
• The Southaven, Miss. native is second all-time at HPU with 154 3-pointers made in her career. Her 154 made 3’s are fourth among third-year players nationally.

YOUTH IS SERVED
• HPU’s seven freshmen are logging 63 percent of the team’s minutes and are scoring 54 percent of HPU points and grabbing 65 percent of the squads steals this season.
• Lindsey Edwards is second among Big South freshmen in scoring with 8.9 points per game.
• Emma Bockrath leads all Big South newcomers with 2.1 steals per game and is second with 1.9 assists per outing.
• Shea Morgan is averaging 29 minutes over the last seven contests and is 10-of-10 at the line this season.

SCOUTING ELON
The Phoenix was picked fourth in the CAA after finishing fourth last season with a 19-13 record and a birth in the WNIT. This season, sophomore Shay Burnett was voted to the preseason all-CAA team and is pacing the squad with 13.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest on the year. Junior Lauren Brown comes off the bench to provide 10.1 points per game and is the team’s top outside threat shooting 39 percent from deep. Last time out, juniors Maddie McCallie and Brown each drilled four triples as the Phoenix defeated N.C. State 69-66 on Dec. 13. Altogether, the team went 9-of-15 from beyond the arc in the win.

ALL-TIME SERIES WITH THE PHOENIX
• Elon is High Point’s most common opponent of all-time. The Panthers lead the series 37-33 as they programs meet for the 71st time.
• HPU has won six straight meetings with Elon including all five since the Phoenix left the Big South Conference for the Colonial Athletic Association.

LAST TIME THEY MET
• Junior Kaylah Keys poured in 30 points on 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc as the Panthers erased a six-point halftime deficit to earn a 87-71 victory.
• Junior Maja Michalska came off the bench to score eight points while grabbing four rebounds in the contest.

NEXT UP
The Purple & White get another 10-day layoff to celebrate Christmas before reentering Big South play at Presbyterian on Dec. 29.