HPU Women’s Basketball Falls Late at Presbyterian

CLINTON, S.C. – Sophomore Lexi Patterson drained a three pointer as time expired but the shot was one possession too late as the High Point University women’s basketball fell at Presbyterian College, 71-69. Junior Cheyenne Parker grabbed her 1,000th career rebound in the game.

Redshirt-sophomore Lindsay Puckett picked up a loose ball and found Patterson in the corner for a three pointer to tie the game, 64-64 with 1:14 to play. Dria David scored for Presbyterian on the other end to put the Blue Hose up, 66-64. Parker appeared to tie the game back up but was called for the offensive foul, swinging the momentum to PC.

Presbyterian College made went 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 28 seconds to hold on to a 71-66 lead. Patterson sank a last-second three pointer but HPU ran out of time, losing 71-69.

“I wish we had fought back a little sooner,” said head coach DeUnna Hendrix. “When we pressured the ball we kept PC off balance and it led to points for us. When we didn’t pressure they scored easily and those possessions off were the difference in the game.”

Parker finished the game with 19 points and nine rebounds. Parker is the first player in HPU’s Div. I era to records 1,000 career points and rebounds. Andreia Blanchard and Angie Green both accomplished it before HPU’s transition to Div. I. Parker has 1,150 career points and 1,003 career rebounds.

Redshirt-sophomore Stacia Robertson led all scorers with 22points. She also had seven rebounds and four blocks. Patterson finished with a career-high 16 points.

Karlee Taylor and David each scored 20 points for Presbyterian College. Mariah Pietrowski added 17 points and four assists.

High Point stormed out to a seven-point lead in the first half. Robertson ran a give-and-go with Kendra Wallace on the right side of the key leading to an easy layup for Robertson to put HPU up 11-6 with 12:59 on the clock. Jazmin Cromartie was fouled by Keyona Allen on the next possession. Cromartie made both free throws to give HPU its biggest lead of the half, 13-6, with 12:13 to play.

With 8:52 on the clock Parker grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the put back basket to give HPU a 17-13 lead. The rebound was the 1,000th of her career.

A layup and two good free throws from Robertson kept the HPU lead at six, 23-17 with 4:40 to play in the opening period. Shonda Burnsidesubbed in to the game for the Blue Hose and immediately hit a jumper to getPresbyterian within four. The basket started a 12-0 for Presbyterian College and the Blue Hose led29-23 at the half.

Robertson opened the second half with a three pointer to get HPU within three, 29-26. The Blue Hose scored the next seven points, opening up a 10-point lead, 36-26, with 16:38 to play. Robertson dished to Parker inside for an easy layup to end PC’s run and make the score 36-28 with 16:04 to go.

Patterson and Robertson hit back-to-back three pointers to cut Presbyterian’s lead to 41-34 with 12:10 to play. Ashante Richard pressured Devin Fothergill on the inbound pass and came away with the steal. Richard scored the easy layup and was fouled by Fothergill on the play. She made the free throw to make it a 41-37 PC lead.

Robertson went to the free-throw line on the next two HPU possessions, going 4-for-4 to tie the game 41-41 with 10:42 to play.

Neither team led by more than five in the final 10 minutes,battling to the 64-64 tie on Patterson’s three with 1:14 to play.

The loss drops HPU to 15-12 for the season and 9-7 in Big South play. Presbyterian moves to 17-10 and 12-4.

The Panthers return home for the final two games of the regular season. High Point hosts Campbell on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. The Camels beat HPU, 79-76, in Buies Cree, N.C. on Jan. 12.