Keys leads HPU WBB past Radford in overtime, 74-64

• In her final game in the Millis Center, senior Kaylah Keys recorded 12 overtime points to finish with a game-high 24 to move to ninth on the Big South all-time scoring list.
• Sophomore Haleigh Hatfield grabbed 10 first-half boards en route to a career-best 15-rebound effort while also scoring 10 points.
• The win moved the Panthers into a tie with Campbell for second in the final Big South standings. HPU will be the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament due to the Camels’ season sweep.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Senior Kaylah Keys closed out her High Point University women’s basketball home career in style posting 24 points to help earn a 74-64 overtime victory over Radford in the Millis Center on Saturday.

With the game tied at 59-all at the end of regulation, Keys took over. The senior scored the Panthers’ first seven points of the extra period to give HPU its first multi-possession lead of the game, 66-62, with 2:10 on the clock.

The rest of the way, Keys and Hatfield combined to make 8-of-10 free throws to lock down the 74-64 victory, The win puts HPU (15-14, 13-5) in a tie for second place in the conference standings with Campbell and clinches the No. 3 seed in next week’s Big South Championship hosted by Liberty.

“What a night,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix exclaimed. “That game is probably a perfect way to send Kaylah Keys off at home. It was a fun game and I’m really proud of the resiliency our team showed throughout. I don’t know who could have beat us today because our team was so set on getting this win for Kaylah.”

That resiliency was critical as Radford held the lead for 59 percent of the game while High Point led for just 6:40 in a game that featured 14 ties.

Keys’ 24-point performance was the second highest total of her senior season. The guard 8-of-15 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the line while grabbing five boards and four steals. HPU honored Keys and four-year manager Sophie Albano-Alisberg in a Senior Day ceremony prior to the contest.

On the inside, sophomore Haleigh Hatfield pulled down a career-best 15 rebounds and notched her first double-double of the year scoring 10 points. From the other forward spot, sophomore Shea Morgan added eight points, six rebounds and a huge jumper in the final minute of regulation.

Rounding out HPU’s double-digit scorers, junior Kat Harris finished with 12 points in the contest. On the other wing, sophomore Emma Bockrath tallied eight points, six boards and two assists.

Reserves freshman Camryn Brown and sophomore Lindsey Edwards combined for all 14 bench points as the High Point bench earned a 14-7 edge over Radford’s.

The Highlanders entered the contest with the second best rebounding margin in the league, but HPU controlled the glass posting a +9 margin (45-36). That rebounding effort help offset Radford’s edge in field goal percentage as the visitors shot 42 percent while holding High Point to 38 percent on the day.

Radford (22-7, 14-4) entered the contest already owning the top seed in the conference tournament, but clinched the single-season crown thanks to Liberty’s 57-47 win over Campbell on Saturday.

The Highlanders’ defense controlled the tempo early as Radford claimed a 10-2 edge five minutes into the contest. However, Keys gave the offense a boost with two layups before Harris drilled a three-pointer as HPU trailed 20-13 at the end of the first.

Early in the second, Khiana Johnson converted a three-point play as the visitors regained a 10-point edge at 25-15. Over the next five minutes, the Panthers clawed back within six before Keys’ three-pointer at the 3:47 mark made it 27-24.

From there, Harris netted four points and Hatfield canned a trifecta to send the game to halftime tied 31-all.

After the break, Radford’s Jen Falconer drilled a three-pointer, but Harris immediately answered to even the score at 34-34. For the rest of the frame, neither team led by more than two until Brown’s three-pointer beat the third-quarter buzzer as High Point carried a 49-46 advantage into the fourth period.

In that fourth frame, the Highlanders held HPU without a field goal for the first five minutes and led by as many as four, 56-52. However, Morgan hit a mid-range jumper to break the drought and tie the game at 56-56, 4:07.

Over the next 3:30 both teams could only muster a free throw apiece until Morgan struck again. This time it was a fading jumper off an inbounds that just barely beat the shot clock and gave High Point a 59-57 edge with 36 seconds to play.

However, Janayla White hit a pair of free throws to equal the score and send the contest to overtime tied at 59-59.

In the overtime period, Keys came alive scoring 12 points to lead HPU to a 74-64 victory in her final game in the Millis Center.

The Panthers will head to Lynchburg, Va. for the Big South Tournament hosted by Liberty. High Point will enter as the No. 3 seed and will play Presbyterian with the game time to be announced later tonight