HPU Women’s Basketball Loses To Bowling Green In WNIT

BOWLING GREEN, OHIO – The High Point University women’s basketball team finished the season with a 72-62 loss to Bowling Green in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament on Thursday in Bowling Green, Ohio. Redshirt-junior Stacia Robertson had 15 points and 13 rebounds in the game.

“I thought our team played really well against a tough Bowling Green team,” said head coach DeUnna Hendrix. “Bowling Green has a strong tradition in women’s basketball and we showed tonight we have the potential to build a program like that. Obviously I don’t want the season to end but I couldn’t be more proud of this team and everything they accomplished this season. Stacia Robertson and Lexi Patterson went out with great performances and they will be missed next year.”

High Point finished the year with a 22-10 record and the most wins in a Div. I season. Bowling Green improved to 28-4 overall and 14-0 at home. The Falcons will face either St. Bonaventure or Charlotte in the second round of the WNIT.

Robertson posted her 10th double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds in the game. She also had four assists, two blocks and one steal and went 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Junior Latrice Phelps added 13 points and eight rebounds and freshman Kaylah Keys finished with 13 points and four assists.

Miriam Justinger led all players with 22 points for the Falcons. Erica Donovan added 11 points and six rebounds.

High Point led for much of the first half, jumping out to a 14-4 lead on a three-pointer from Lindsay Puckett with 12:10 on the clock. The Falcons outscored HPU 19-8 over the next 11 minutes. Donovan scored on a layup to tie the game 22-22 and made a free throw to give BGSU its first lead 23-22 with 5:32 left in the half. High Point answered with a 9-0 run to open up a 31-23 lead with 1:29 remaining. Keys scored five of HPU’s points during the stretch. The Falcons scored 10 points in the final minute of the half, taking a 33-32 with 11 seconds to play on a layup by Donovan.

The Panthers quickly took back the lead in the second half, 38-35, on a three pointer from Teddy Vincent. The game remained close for the next 10 minutes. Keys completed a three-point play to tie the game 52-52, with 9:30 to play. Justinger answered for BGSU with a layup and the Falcons took the lead for the final time in the game. A Keys’ three kept Bowling Green’s lead at four, 65-61, with 2:20 to play but the Falcons made free throws down the stretch to pull away for the 72-62 win.

Freshman DeAnneisha Jackson finished with seven points and three rebounds and Puckett and Vincent each added six points.