High Point cut a seven-point deficit down to one point in the final three minutes, but it wasn't enough and Coastal Carolina held on for a 77-75 win over the Panthers Saturday afternoon in men's basketball action at the Millis Center.
Joe Knight's three-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the back rim and the Chanticleers (9-5, 2-0 Big South) picked up their second huge road win in as many tries.
Danny Gathings led all scorers with 29 points, while Dustin Van Weerdhuizen added a season-best 22 points for the Panthers (5-8, 1-2).
Coastal got 17 points from Albany transfer E.J. Gallup (which ties his career-high). Also in double-figures were Tony Darden (15 points), Mihai Raducanu (a career-best 12 points), and Torrey Butler (10 points).
The game, which CCU lead 39-35 at intermission, featured 18 lead changes, but none following Derrick Robinson's layup with 4:17 to got that put the Chants up 68-67 and sparked a 7-0 run.
Two Van Weerdhuizen free throws and a foul shot by Gathings brought the Panthers within 74-70. Following a Darden tip-in with 51 seconds left, Van Weerdhuizen made back-to-back layups to pull HPU within 76-74 with 26 seconds to play.
Butler was fouled and missed a free throw with 17 seconds to go, but Clint Nagel came up with a huge offensive rebound. Nagel then missed his foul shot, but Darden was called for a foul on the rebound. Brent Halsch then hit one of two foul shots on the other end with 16 seconds left to pull HPU within 76-75.
CCU freshman Colin Stevens was fouled with six seconds to play and made one of two shots. HPU head coach Jerry Steele called a time out with 2.8 seconds left to set up the possible game-winning shot, and the ball went in to Knight, who had a decent look at the basket, but the shot bounced off the back rim and the Chants escaped.
HPU, which has now dropped its past two following a three-game winning streak, hosts Charleston Southern (7-7, 1-1) Monday night at 7:00 pm.
The Chants, who topped Winthrop 64-50 in Rock Hill Wednesday night, continue their road trip Monday night at Elon.
