HPU MBB Panthers Three Point Barrage Leads to Victory Over Chowan

Site: High Point, N.C. (Qubein Center)
Score: High Point 90, Chowan 60
Records: High Point (3-3), Chowan (0-3)

HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University men’s basketball secured a 90-60 victory over Chowan on Saturday afternoon in the Qubein Center. The Panthers were led by 10 three-pointers on the day, their second 10+ three-pointer game of the season. Jaden House and Alex Holt led the Panthers with 17 points each on the day, however, they were joined by two additional scorers in double figures for the Panthers. John-Michael Wright had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists on the day, while Zack Austin had 11 points and 6 rebounds on the day. In total, the Panthers had 10 players who were able to get into the scoring column in the game versus Chowan.

Coach Smith on Honoring Bob Burke pregame: “It was good to be able to honor Coach Bob Burke today, we were great friends and I had known him for years. Since back when I used to go down and recruit at Chowan back when it was a junior college. His son Robby Burke is an outstanding young man. Bob and his family were living in Hawaii when GG’swife was doing her residency at a hospital in Hawaii and, Bob was able to get GG a job as a teacher and a coach there in Hawaii so we have a great relationship with them. Both of us played around here he played at Campbell and was then at Guilford so we have a lot in common.”

Coach Tubby Smith: “It was good to get this win today. I thought our guys did some good things and executed today so we are happy. Now we have to get ready for a very good team in Furman.”

Panther Particulars

Both teams got off to a slow start early in the game as Chowan and HPU were a combined 1-12 from the floor through the first media timeout. The Panthers had the early 3-0 lead on a triple from Wright.

However, the Panthers’ offense awoke after the timeout. Holt scored a basket inside and then House drilled a corner three on a dish from Wright to give the Panthers an 8-0 lead at the 14:40 mark. House buried his second three of the game at the 13:26 mark as HPU extended their lead to 13-4.

The Panthers continued to cook from three-point range as Zack Austin got into the action with a nothing but net three-pointer from the elbow on an assist from Bryant Randleman at the 9:29 mark which extended the Panther lead to 24-8.

Freshman Brock Williams got into the scoring action with another 3-pointer for the Panthers, this time at the 5:59 mark to increase the Panther lead to 36-14.

Fellow freshman Jake Koverman scored his first career collegiate points on yet another trifecta for the Panthers. Koverman’s 3-pointer at the 3:03 mark gave the Panthers a 42-20 lead.

The Panthers finished the half on an alley-oop jam from Bryant Randleman to Wright and HPU took a 49-26 lead into the break. The Panthers finished shooting 54.5% from the field but shot an incredible 88.9% from three-point range in the first half while holding Chowan to 0% shooting from three-point range.

The Panthers opened up the second half with a bang on an emphatic slam by Austin with a Chowan defender right in his face. The bucket put the Panthers up 53-28 at the 18:15 mark.

The Panthers continued to shoot efficiently from the field in the second half and the Panthers built their lead to 73-45 on a mid-range jumper from House with 9:56 to go in the second half.

Wright buried the first three-pointer for the Panthers in the second half at the 7:21 mark for the ninth three-pointer of the day. The Panthers led 78-47 after the made basket. Wright followed that up with another triple and the 10th of the day for the Panthers to increase their lead to 83-50 at the 5:41 mark.

High Point went on to win 90-60. The Panthers shot 50.7% from the field while also hitting 10 three-pointers and shooting 52.6% from three-point range.

UP NEXT: HPU will stay at home at the Qubein Center as they take on Southern Conference foe Furman on Tuesday, November 30th. Tip-off is set for 7 pm and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.