HPU WBB Panthers Host Bulldogs On Tuesday Night

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team will welcome UNC Asheville to the Millis Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Panthers (15-11, 11-6) will be looking to rebound from consecutive conference setbacks for the first time in two years. The Bulldogs (7-18, 6-10), like HPU, have dropped their last two games against Winthrop and Campbell and need a win to hold on to the No. 8 seed in the conference standings.

Last Time Out:
Campbell’s defense held the Panthers without a field goal in the final 5:17 to come away with a 64-61 victory on Saturday afternoon in Gore Arena. Freshman Kat Harris had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds, but her 3-pointer was blocked by Kiera Gaines to secure the Camels’ win.

The Purple & White were carried by redshirt-senior Stacia Robertson who posted 20 points and 20 rebounds. It was the first 20-point, 20-rebound performance by an HPU player since Feb. 7, 2013. Redshirt-senior Lindsay Puckett chipped in with 10 points and a season high seven rebounds. Senior Ashante Richard made crucial baskets in the second half to give the Panthers a late lead and finished with eight points and three assists.

HPU got eight points and six rebounds from junior Aariel Allen to earn a tie in bench points. The Panthers earned a +10 (36-26) margin in points in the paint and a +16 (48-32) margin in rebounding. The Purple & White shot 24-of-60 (40 percent) while holding the Camels to 24-of-62 (39 percent).

However, HPU couldn’t overcome its 27 turnovers. The active Campbell defense recorded 17 steals with the duo of Gaines and RaeChaun Edwards combining for 14 steals. The Camels got out in transition and earned a 12-2 advantage in fast break points.

The Opponent:
The Bulldogs got their bye on Saturday and will be well rested when they come to the Millis Center. UNC Asheville is also coming off a close loss to Campbell with a 56-51 loss on Feb. 10 in Kimmel Arena.

Senior guard Shonese Jones led the team with 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. No one else on the roster scored more than six points. Campbell held the Bulldogs to 18-of-55 (33 percent) shooting while Asheville went 9-of-20 (45 percent) from the free throw line.

Jones is the team’s leading scorer and is the only player to average double figures with 11.2 points per outing. She is third in the conference with 46 made 3-pointers and hit 37 percent of her attempts from 3-point land. The team has 13 players that average at least seven minutes per game with eight players tallying at least four points per contest.

Sophomore K.J. Weaver is the squad’s leading rebounder with 6.4 per game as the Bulldogs average a +1.5 margin on the glass. Senior Brittany Gwyn leads the team with 2.7 assists per night.

Asheville is 10th in the conference shooting 65 percent from the free throw line and is ninth in the league hitting 37 percent of her jump shots. The Bulldogs are eighth in the Big South in scoring defense and allows opponents to hit 41 percent of their attempts.

Panther Notes:

• The Panthers have a 34-11 advantage in the all-time series with the Bulldogs. HPU has won 13 straight in the seris with Asheville including all six contests with DeUnna Hendrix at the helm.

• Redshirt-senior Stacia Robertson is averaging 15.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists per contest. She has scored in double figures in 13 straight games to go with six double-doubles in that span.

• Saturday’s game will feature the HPU’s high-powered offense against Campbell’s solid defense. The Panthers are second in the Big South in scoring (69.5 ppg) while the Bulldogs are eighth in defense (64.8 pgg).

• Senior Latrice Phelps and redshirt-senior Lindsay Puckett have upped their offensive output averaging 12.0 and 12.6 points per game in the last five contests.

• The Panthers are 11-1 at home this season, which is the second best home record in the Div. I era. HPU is 42-12 (.778) in the Millis Center since the beginning of the 2011-12 season. The team is 30-31 (.492) in road games over that time.

• Kaylah Keys and Stacia Robertson form the highest-scoring tandem in the Big South. The inside-outside duo is averaging 29.2 points a game. Robertson is third in the league with 15.4 ppg while Keys is fourth with 13.8 ppg.

Next Up:

The team will round out the regular season with a trip to Gardner-Webb (Tuesday, Feb. 24) and Senior Day against Radford (Saturday, Feb. 28).