HPU WBB Edged by Presbyterian, 82-70

• Freshman Emma Bockrath paced the Panthers with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
• Sophomore Kat Harris (17 points) and junior Kaylah Keys (11 points) also scored in double figures.
• The Purple & White have the weekend off before hosting Charleston Southern on Monday, Jan. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Millis Center.

CLINTON, S.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team came out hot, but couldn’t hold on in an 82-70 setback at Presbyterian on Tuesday night.

The Panthers (3-9, 2-1) shot 71 percent in the opening frame to build a 24-19 lead, but finished the night shooting 40 percent in defeat. Meanwhile, the Blue Hose (6-6, 2-1) hit 53 percent from the floor en route to the win.

“We needed to find a way to play better defense because usually when you score 70 points you’re winning,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. “PC is a good team and they can expose you when you make mistakes and we made too many [mistakes] tonight. Our offense ran well against their zone and got good looks, but we needed to get out of our way at times and we’re going to work and get better this week.”

Sophomore Kat Harris led the team in scoring with 17 points to go with four assists and four rebounds. Freshman Emma Bockrath racked up 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists on the night.

Likewise, junior Kaylah Keys gave HPU three players scoring in double figures with 11 points. Sophomore Bre Davis posted a career-high with eight points to anchor a bench that scored 21 points.

Despite taking the setback, the Panthers garnered a 33-30 advantage on the boards and hit eight of their 21 3-point attempts.

Freshman Haleigh Hatfield drilled a 3-pointer on the first possession to give HPU a 3-0 lead. Nearly nine minutes later, Harris ended the quarter the way it started with a triple at the buzzer to give HPU a 24-19 advantage. Led by Bockrath’s 3-for-4 shooting, the Purple & White shot 71 percent (10-for-14) in the quarter.

HPU opened the scoring in the second quarter with a turnaround jumper from Morgan (26-19). However, the Blue Hose responded with a 19-2 to take a 38-28 edge (2:10). Morgan, then, converted two at the line and Davis hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 38-36 (0:25). However, the Blue Hose answered with a triple at the buzzer to send PC to halftime with a 41-36 edge.

After a slow offensive start from both squads, Harris and Bockrath connected from beyond the arc to cut the deficit to one (45-44, 5:30). The Panthers regained the lead when freshman Lindsey Edwards hit two free throws (50-49, 1:55). But the Blue Hose scored the final four points of the frame to enter the fourth quarter clinging to a 53-50 lead.

The teams traded baskets early before a trifecta from Harris made it 57-56 with eight to play. However, PC answered with a three of it’s own to spark a 13-4 run to build a 70-60 advantage (3:30). From there, Keys and Hatfield posted back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to six (70-64) with 2:20 to play. But the Purple & White couldn’t get any closer as PC earned an 82-70 victory.

The Panthers enjoy their idle weekend before hosting Charleston Southern on Monday, Jan. 4 in the Millis Center.