The High Point University men’s basketball team will make its first NCAA Div. I postseason appearance when it takes on UC Irvine on Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. (Eastern) in Irvine, Calif., as part of the fifth annual CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Panthers won the North Division of the Big South this season.
High Point is 17-13 overall and went 12-4 in the Big South, setting a program record for Big South wins. High Point is 13-6 in its last 19 games. That included a seven-game winning streak, HPU’s best since 2006-07.
High Point’s division championship was HPU’s first conference title since 1996-97, when HPU was a member of the NCAA Div. II Conference Carolinas. That was also the last time High Point participated in the postseason, when the Panthers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Div. II Tournament.
High Point is in its fourth season under head coach Scott Cherry. The Panthers feature All-Big South second-team selection Allan Chaney, who averaged 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds through 30 games. All-Freshman guard Adam Weary averaged 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists. The Panthers were led in scoring by John Brown at 16.4 points per game. Brown was named Big South Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big South but will miss Wednesday’s game with an injury.
In 2012-13 Big South games, High Point led the league in scoring margin (+7.8), field goal percentage (47.5), assists per game (15.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3). In overall games, HPU set a program record for blocks in a season (134) and blocks per game (4.5). At 12-4, High Point tied South Division champ Charleston Southern for the best league record.