BIMINI, Bahamas — The High Point University men’s basketball team competes in the first-ever Bimini Jam Nov. 16-19 at Gateway Christian Academy on the island of Bimini in the Bahamas.
Paw Prints
• The Panthers (0-2) will take on South Dakota on Friday at 6 p.m., following the UMBC-Air Force matchup at 3:30 p.m. Winners from the opening round will return to action Saturday, Nov. 17 at 8:30 p.m. Losers will face off the following day, Sunday, Nov. 18 at 3:30 p.m. All four teams will conclude the tournament Monday, Nov. 19 with games scheduled for 6 and 8:30 p.m.
• It will be the meeting between High Point and each of the teams in the Bimini Jam. HPU head coach Tubby Smith is 1-0 all-time against Air Force as a head coach and has never faced UMBC and South Dakota.
• Last time out, the Panthers’ comeback against Wofford fell short, 68-60, on Nov. 10 in the HPU home opener at the Millis Center. Sophomore Denny Slay led the Panthers with 11 points off the bench.
• HPU outscored Wofford, 28-10, in bench scoring, let by Slay with 11 points. Senior Sam Berlin and redshirt-freshman Caden Sanchez added eight and seven points off the bench. All three were key to the Panthers’ 13-0 run in the second half that cut the Wofford lead to three.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Kyle West will be on the call on the High Point Panthers Radio Network, starting at 5:50 p.m. Danny Lee and Ray Giacolletti on the call on FloHoops.
A LOOK AT THE COYOTES (2-0)
South Dakota defeated Northern Arizona, 90-74, on Monday (Nov. 12) in Vermillion, S.D. The Coyotes had three players with 20 or more points, including Triston Simpson (24 points), Tyler Peterson (23) and Brandon Armstrong (22).
A LOOK AT THE FALCONS (1-1)
Air Force dropped a 67-57 decision at Texas State on Nov. 9 in San Marcos, Texas. Lavelle Scottie leads the Falcons with 11.5 points per game, while Sid Tomes (11.0) and Ryan Swan (10.5) are also averaging double figures.
A LOOK AT THE RETRIEVERS (2-1)
UMBC defeated Manhattan, 75-52, on Monday night (Nov. 12) in Catonsville, Md. K.J. Jackson scored 20 points to lead the Retrievers and is tied with Brandon Horvath and Joe Sherburne in leading UMBC with 12.3 points per game.
TUBBY SMITH vs. BIMINI JAM OPPONENTS
HPU Head Coach Tubby Smith is 1-0 against the opponents in the Bimini Jam, having faced Air Force in 2014. Smith’s Texas Tech team defeated the Falcons, 63-62, on Nov. 30, 2014.
NEXT UP
The Panthers travel Greenville, N.C. , to play East Carolina on Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.