HPU Men’s Basketball Hosts Holiday Game Sunday vs. UVa-Wise

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University men’s basketball team (7-2) wraps up a stretch of four home contests in five games with a tilt against Div. II opponent UVa-Wise on Sunday at 4 p.m. HPU has won the first four games of the stretch.

Sunday’s game will be streamed live on the Big South Network. In addition, the game will air live on the High Point Panthers Radio Network, with Kevin Burke and Stafford Stephenson providing analysis. Pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. (EST), with the post-game show immediately following the contest vs. the Spartans.

HOLIDAY GAME GIVEAWAYS
The first 750 fans at Sunday’s game will receive a complimentary HPU holiday ornament. In addition, all fans can enjoy free cookies and hot cocoa, as well as an appearance from Santa.

PAW PRINTS
• HPU is off to its best start (7-2) of the Division I era. It’s the first time High Point has started the season 7-2 since the 1994-95 campaign.
• The Panthers are 24-2 (.923) in their last 26 home games and have won the last nine contests inside the Millis Center. The nine-game home streak is second longest in the Big South behind Winthrop (10). High Point has posted a 27-5 (.844) record at home since the start of the 2013-14 season, including a 15-3 mark (.833) in league play.
• Last time out, High Point won its Triad rivalry game with UNCG, 90-72, on Wednesday inside the Millis Center. HPU shot 57.1 percent (32-56) against UNCG and limited the Spartans to 31.8 percent (7-22) from beyond the arc.
• The Panthers are shooting 54.2 percent (26-48) from 3-point territory and 53.9 percent overall (125-232) during their current four-game winning streak.
• Redshirt-senior John Brown posted his first double-double of the season and 14th of his career against UNCG with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
• High Point ranks in the top-35 nationally in both field goal percentage (.486, 32nd) and 3-point field goal percentage (.412, 19th).
• After posting 14 points vs. UNCG, senior guard Adam Weary is up to 990 career points. With 10 points vs. UVa-Wise, he will become the 31st HPU player all-time and seventh in the Div. I era to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
• Brown needs just eight steals to become the all-time HPU leader in steals. With 20 points vs. UVa-Wise, Brown will pass Brett Speight (1993-97) and move into fourth place on the HPU all-time scoring list.

MCINTYRE, PEREZ-LAHAM PRODUCE PROFICIENT POINT GUARD PLATOON
Point guards Haiishen McIntyre and Jorge-Perez Laham have virtually split the minutes at the point guard position this season and are a big reason why HPU leads the Big South in assist/turnover ratio (1.29). McIntyre has posted 24 assists and 13 turnovers (1.9 ratio) in 17.9 minutes/game, while Perez-Laham is at 24 assists and nine turnovers (2.7 ratio) in 18.3 minutes/contest. HPU also is tied for first in the conference in assists per game (14.9).

CUGINI SECOND NATIONALLY IN 3PT FG PERCENTAGE
Through nine games in 2015-16, senior forward Lorenzo Cugini is ranked second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting a blistering 62.2 percent (23-37) from long distance. He has made at least two 3-pointers in seven of nine games, and HPU has posted a 6-1 record in those contests. The Stow, Ohio, native is now t-6th all-time at HPU in 3-pointers made (128) and is first in career 3-point field goal percentage (.427).

A LOOK AT THE CAVALIERS (1-7, 0-4 MOUNTAIN EAST)

UVa-Wise was picked to finish 12th in the 2015-16 Mountain East preseason poll (Div. II). The Cavaliers are 1-7 on the year and picked up their victory over Montreat, 104-76, on Nov. 30. The Cavaliers are led by senior forward Matt Day, who averages a double-double with 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest. Redshirt-freshman guard Philip Owens II chips in 12.8 points and 2.8 assists per game, while sophomore forwar Dimitri Sousa averages 10.5 points.

HISTORY vs. UVA-WISE
HPU and UVA-Wise will meet for the first time on the basketball court on Sunday.

HISTORY vs. MOUNTAIN EAST OPPONENTS

High Point has complied a 1-1 record all-time against Mountain East opponents. In the only two contests against ME foes, HPU lost at Fairmont State, 95-85, on November 27, 1976, and defeated West Liberty, 85-72, on Nov. 24, 1989.

UP NEXT
High Point his the road for a big-time matchup with ACC power North Carolina State on Wednesday (Dec. 16) at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN3, with coverage on the High Point Panthers Radio Network beginning at 6:30 p.m.