HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University led the entire game en route to a 75-64 win over Presbyterian on Thursday night at the Millis Center. Freshman Kaylah Keys scored a game-high 21 points while fellow freshman Teddy Vincent scored a career-high 16 points in the win.
“It is always a game of possessions with Presbyterian College,” said head coach DeUnna Hendrix. “They try to slow the pace way down and beat teams in the half court. The key to our success tonight was maintaining our identity, pushing the tempo and playing great defense.”
Vincent posted career highs in points (16), rebounds (6) and assists (4) in the victory. Keys added 21 points, five assists and four rebounds. She has scored 20 or more points in five of High Point’s six Big South games this season. Redshirt-junior Lindsay Puckett added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor.
The win improves High Point to 8-7 overall and 4-2 in Big South Conference play. Presbyterian College falls to 3-12 for the season and 1-5 in league play.
High Point jumped out to an 18-7 lead in the first five and a half minutes, going 4-for-4 from three-point range. Stacia Robertson, Vincent, Keys and Puckett all hit tres to open up the 11-point lead with 14:28 on the clock. The Panthers took a 16-point lead, the biggest of the half, with 4:16 left in the period when sophomore Jatzmin Johnson made a pair of free throws after being fouled by Keyonna Allen.
The Blue Hose finished the half with a 16-6 run, starting with a three-pointer by Kasey Hobbie and ending the half with a three-point play by Karlee Taylor. High Point led 40-34 at the half.
Presbyterian got within four early in the second half, 40-36 on a jumper by Sherece Smith, but the Panthers responded with a 14-2 run to open up a 54-40 lead. Maja Michalska stole the ball from the Blue Hose and raced down the court, dishing the ball to DeAnneisha Jackson for a layup to give the Panthers a 56-41 lead with 11:11 left in the game.
HPU held off a late run by Presbyterian College by making free throws down the stretch. The Blue Hose were within five, 67-62, with just under a minute to play. Ashante Richard made a pair of free throws and Keys went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final 30 seconds to secure the 75-64 victory.
Robertson finished with seven points, five rebounds and five steals while Richard added four points and two assists. Johnson scored a career-high six points, going 1-for-1 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
The Panthers outrebounded PC 31-23 and went 23-of-26 as a team from the free-throw line.