High Point MBB Plays at Liberty in Regular Season Finale

WHEN: Saturday, February 24, 2018 | 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Lynchburg, Va. | Vines Center (9,511)
RECORDS: High Point (14-14, 9-8 Big South) | Liberty (17-13, 8-9 Big South)
SERIES RECORD: 41st meeting, Liberty leads, 23-17
LIVE STATS: Click Here
AUDIO: High Point Panther Radio Network
VIDEO: Big South Network | ESPN3
GAME NOTES: Click here

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University men’s basketball team (14-14, 9-8 Big South) looks to close out the regular season on a high note when it plays at Liberty on Saturday (Feb. 24). Tip-off at the Vines Center is set for 2 p.m.

Spencer Siegel and Stafford Stephenson will be back on the call on for the High Point Panthers Radio Network, with coverage starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on ESPN3.

PAW PRINTS
• The Panthers currently sit in a tie for fourth place heading into the final day of Big South play. HPU can finish anywhere between fourth and seventh based on Saturday’s results.
• This will be the 41st meeting between the two programs with Liberty leading, 23-17. The Flames had won four in a row before the Panthers won the last meeting, 71-60, on Jan. 18 at the Millis Center.
• Last time out, High Point used a big first half to defeat Longwood, 75-56, in the final home game of the season Thursday (Feb. 22) at the Millis Center. Junior Andre Fox and sophomore Brandonn Kamga each tallied 18 points, while sophomore Jahaad Proctor added 17.
• Against the Lancers, Andre Fox tallied his 1,000th-career point, becoming the 33rd student-athlete in program history and the 10th in HPU’s Division I history to record 1,000 career points. Fox currently has 1,006 points in the Purple & White.
• Saturday’s game will be the 118th career contest for senior Austin White, which will break a tie between him with Jairus Simms (2009-13) for the 10th-most games played in HPU history.
• Andre Fox hit one 3-pointer against Longwood on Feb. 22 and has 109 for his career, ninth-most all-time at HPU. Next up on the chart is Zione White, who made 128 career 3-point field goals from 2003-05. Fox is currently 10th all-time at HPU with 291 attempts from behind the arc.
• After dropping their first four games decided by five points or less, the Panthers have won their last two. In both cases, High Point made defensive stands and made the primary scorers pass up the ball. HPU won 61-60 at Radford and 66-65 against Gardner-Webb.
• Saturday’s game features two of the best defenses in the conference. Liberty leads the conference and is No. 17 in the nation in scoring defense at 64.7 points per game, while High Point is third in the Big South and No. 44 in the nation at 66.8 points per game.
• The Panthers lead the conference and are 33rd in the nation in steals per game with 7.6 swipes per contest. In addition, HPU leads the Big South and is No. 34 in the country in turnover margin at +2.9.

HISTORY vs. LIBERTY
This will be the 41st meeting between the two programs with Liberty leading the series, 23-17. The Flames had won four in a row previous to the first meeting this season, a 71-60 Panther win on Jan. 18 at the Millis Center. High Point used an 18-3 run in the second half to rally from a 10-point halftime deficit. Andre Fox and Jahaad Proctor each had 23 points, while Justyn Mutts grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out five assists, but did not score.

A LOOK AT THE FLAMES (17-13, 8-9 BIG SOUTH)
Liberty comes into the game having dropped its last two contests, 79-69, at Campbell on Feb. 18 and 63-50 to Radford on Thursday (Feb. 22) in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty ranks 21st in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 64.7 points per game. Scottie James leads four Flames in double figures with 12.9 points per game, while also adding 8.6 rebounds per game. Lovell Cabbil is second on the team with 11.0 points per contest.

HISTORY vs. OPPONENTS FROM VIRGINIA
High Point has complied a 82-74 (.526) record all-time against Division I programs hailing from the Old Dominion State. HPU’s most common opponents are Radford (21-24, .467), Liberty (17-23, .425) and Longwood (24-7, .774). High Point is 62-54 (.534) against Big South programs from Virginia and 20-20 (.500) against the rest of the state’s Division I teams. HPU is 5-1 against teams from Virginia this season after defeating William & Mary, Liberty, Longwood (twice) and Radford, but also fell to Radford.

NEXT UP
The Panthers will play in the Big South Tournament, which will be held Feb. 27-March 4. Big South play will determine High Point’s seeding and where the tournament will be played.