HPU MBB falls in overtime to Radford, 69-68

• High Point dropped its first overtime game of the season, 69-68, against Radford on Saturday.
• Sophomore Andre Fox hit a game-tying shot to force the game into overtime with less than a second remaining in regulation.
• HPU is now 2-1 in overtime games this season having previously won at home over Charleston Southern and at Winthrop.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Sophomore Andre Fox saw his potential game winner hit off the rim at the buzzer as the High Point University men’s basketball team fell in overtime to Radford by a score of 69-68 on Saturday night at the Millis Center.

Down by four with eight seconds remaining in the extra period, Fox found some space off a handoff from freshman Jamal Wright and drilled a 3-pointer to close to within one. The Panthers trapped the ensuing inbounds and Wright tied up the ball forcing a turnover and giving HPU a chance to win the game with four seconds remaining.

High Point inbounded to redshirt-senior Miles Bowman Jr. and the forward drove into the lane before dishing out to an open Fox on the right wing. The sophomore got a good shot off that hit off the inside of the front rim before bouncing out at the buzzer.

“Credit goes to Radford for making all the plays they needed at the end of the game to win,” head coach Scott Cherry said. “On that last play, Andre got a great look on a play we practice. We didn’t come up with the plays we needed. We missed a couple opportunities at the rim that would have tied it up in overtime. Twenty-one offensive rebounds are way too much. We cut that in half we probably win the game. That is unusual for us. We haven’t been outrebounded like that in a long time. We just need to get better and make more plays.”

Senior Anthony Lindauer led all scorers with 17 points off the bench for the Purple & White. Lindauer shot 7-14 from the floor and 3-5 from behind the arc. It was the senior’s fifth-straight game with three or more 3-pointers and his 11th of the season.

Fox finished with 13 points and a team-high four assists in the game while Bowman Jr. had 12 points for HPU.

Four players finished in double figures for Radford, led by Ed Polite Jr. who scored all 14 of his points in the second half. Polite Jr. also had 10 rebounds for a double-double and was one of three RU players to finish with double-digit rebounds as the Highlanders finished +24 in the rebounding battle.

The loss is High Point’s first in three overtime games this season and it drops the Panthers to 14-12 overall and 8-6 in the Big South. Radford improves to 11-15 overall and 6-8 in the conference with its second-straight win.

Bowman Jr. scored the first six points of the game on a 3-pointer and a layup and free throw, giving High Point a lead that it would not relinquish until a Donald Hicks 3-pointer for Radford tied the game at 54-54 with 2:13 to play.

Lindauer put the Panthers back in front with a 15-footer but Radford scored the next four points to take its first lead of the game at 58-56 with 37 seconds left.

High Point still trailed by two with 11 seconds remaining when Radford’s Justin Cousin missed the front end of a one-and-one. Fox grabbed the rebound and raced down the floor before connecting on a 10-foot jumper with less than a second on the clock, forcing the game into overtime.

High Point returns to the road for both games next week starting with a Valentine’s Day affair at Liberty on Tuesday, Feb. 14, in Lynchburg, Va.. Tip in the game is set for 7 p.m., at the Vines Center.