WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 | 7 p.m.
WHERE: Williamsburg, Va. | Kaplan Arena (8,600)
SERIES RECORD: 9th meeting, HPU leads, 5-3
LIVE STATS: Click Here
AUDIO: High Point Panther Radio Network
VIDEO: TribeAthletics.com
GAME NOTES: High Point | William & Mary
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University men’s basketball team opens the 2018-19 season Wednesday evening (Nov. 7) at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. Tip-off at Kaplan Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Kyle West will be on the call on the High Point Panthers Radio Network, with coverage starting at approximately 6:50 p.m.
PAW PRINTS
• The Panthers are 67-24 all-time in season openers and 11-8 in the Division I era, including last year’s win over William & Mary.
• The Panthers were picked seventh out of 11 teams in the Big South preseason poll. Defending tournament champion Radford was picked to win the league with 28 out of 33 first-place votes.
• The Panthers welcome four new players in 2018-19, including freshmen Curtis Holland III, John-Michael Hughes, Rob Peterson III and Othello Smith. In addition, sophomore Tim Cameron is eligible to play after sitting out last season due to NCAA guidelines after transferring from UTEP.
• HPU (14-16 in 2017-18) returns nine letterwinners and four players who started 22 or more games last season, including senior Jordan Whitehead (24 starts), juniors Brandonn Kamga (28) and Jahaad Proctor (24) and sophomore Denny Slay (22). The quartet accounts for 65.3 percent of games started last season.
• Proctor was named to the Preseason All-Big South Second Team after being named to the All-Big South Second Team in 2017-18. Proctor was also recognized on the NCCSIA All-State Second Team.
• High Point has a new head coach in HPU Athletics Hall of Famer Tubby Smith, who is in his 28th season as a Division I head coach. Coach Smith played for High Point College from 1969-73.
• Coach Smith has a 597-302 record in 27 seasons and ranks 29th on the NCAA winningest active coaches list, across all divisions. Coach Smith is 23-4 in season openers as a Division I head coach.
HISTORY vs. WILLIAM & MARY
This will be the ninth meeting all-time between the two programs, with the Panthers leading the series, 5-3. HPU won last year’s meeting, 100-66, on Nov. 10, 2017 at the Millis Center in what was the season opener for both teams. Jahaad Proctor, making his Purple & White debut, dropped a game-high 28 points and was 6-7 from 3-point range. Andre Fox added 22, while Brandonn Kamga, also making his HPU debut, scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. The 100 points scored was the first time High Point had reached the triple-digit mark against a Division I opponent since VMI (109-92) on Feb. 24, 2007. The Panthers shot 60.7 percent (37-61) from the field, which was the eighth-best shooting night in HPU’s DI history and third-best against a Division I opponent.
A LOOK AT THE TRIBE (19-12, 11-7 CAA in 2017-18)
William & Mary comes into the season after finishing 2017-18 with a 19-12 record and a semifinal appearance in the CAA Tournament. The Tribe was 11-3 at home at Kaplan Arena last season. W&M returns three starters, including 6-10 junior forward Nathan Knight, who averaged 18.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and was named a Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American and member of the All-CAA Second Team. Matt Milon (13.0 points per game) and Justin Pierce (14.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg) also return as starters.
HISTORY vs. OPPONENTS FROM VIRGINIA
High Point has complied a 82-76 (.519) record all-time against Division I programs hailing from the Old Dominion State. HPU’s most common opponents are Radford (21-24, .467), Liberty (17-24, .415) and Longwood (24-8, .750). High Point is 62-56 (.525) against Big South programs from Virginia and 20-20 (.500) against the rest of the state’s Division I teams. HPU was 5-3 against teams from Virginia this season after defeating William & Mary, Liberty, Longwood (twice) and Radford, but also fell to Radford, at Liberty and against Longwood in the Big South First Round.
TUBBY SMITH vs. WILLIAM & MARY AND CAA
HPU Head Coach Tubby Smith is 1-0 against the Tribe in his coaching career. Smith’s Kentucky Wildcats defeated William & Mary, 92-47 on Dec. 22, 2004. Coach Smith is 2-0 against members of the Colonial Athletic Association, having also defeated College of Charleston with Kentucky on Nov. 28, 2006 (77-61).
NEXT UP
The Panthers host Wofford in their home opener on Saturday, Nov. 10. Tip-off at the Millis Center is set for 2 p.m. Wofford won last year’s matchup, 70-57, on Dec. 17, 2017 as part of the Mountain Invitational in Asheville.