• Senior Kaylah Keys and sophomore Emma Bockrath led the Panthers in scoring recording 16 points apiece.
• HPU outshot the Rebels 45.8% (22-48) to 40% (26-65).
• The team will next travel to Birmingham, Ala. to take on UAB on Nov. 22nd at 8 p.m.
OXFORD, MISS. – The High Point University women’s basketball team fell the Ole Miss Rebels, 73-62, during their Sunday afternoon matchup in Oxford, Miss.
Senior Kaylah Keys paced the offense, in her homecoming game, with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and a block against the Rebels.
“I think our team is starting to realize how good they can be and I think our non-conference slate is put together to give us confidence going into conference play,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. “We still need to put together our 40-minute game; it’s in the last five minutes that we ended up losing by double digits. I think we are doing some great things in transition and we are running but we’re not always converting those opportunities. We are still learning and growing through this experience but I wished we would’ve come out with a different type of intensity going into the fourth quarter.”
The Panthers (1-2) outshot the Rebels (4-0) 45.8 percent (22-48) to 40.0 percent (26-65) thanks in large part to Keys and sophomore Emma Bockrath, who matched Keys’ 16 points to create two double-digit scorers for the Panthers.
Likewise, sophomore Shea Morgan and junior Kat Harris added nine points a piece to the Purple & White total.
The Rebels opened up scoring in the first frame, leading the game 10-4 (7:20). However, the Panthers rallied with a layup from sophomore Taylor McGlashan to spark a 10-4 run to tie up the match 14-all (3:01). Keys ended the frame recording her first three-pointer of the game to finish the first quarter two points behind Ole Miss (19-17).
HPU opened up the scoring in the second quarter with a jumper from Bockrath to tie the game at 19-all (9:54). The Rebels and the Panthers battled back and forth throughout the second quarter creating four lead changes in the frame. But, the Purple & White entered the half down by two points, 29-27.
After the break, the Panthers outshot the Rebels 60% (6-10) to 56.3% (9-16) in the third quarter. Keys recorded seven of her 16 points in the frame to keep the Purple & White within striking distance as Ole Miss took a 54-53 lead in the fourth period.
In the final frame, Bockrath registered her fourth point of the quarter at the 6:40 mark to close the Rebel lead to only a point (60-59). However, the Panthers were only able to muster another three points in the frame and fell to the Rebels 73-62.
The Panthers continue on their southern road trip heading to Birmingham, Ala. The Purple & White are set to take on the UAB Blazers on Tuesday, Nov. 22nd at 7p.m.