High Point gave Clemson a fight for 40 minutes, but the homestanding Tigers pulled away and placed all five starters in double-figures in an 88-81 win over the Panthers Monday evening at Clemson's Littlejohn Coliseum.
Zione White poured in a career-best and game-high 26 points for HPU.
Clemson scored the game's first five points before the Panthers battled back and took their first lead at 10-9 on a White fast-break layup. HPU (1-1) pushed the lead to four at 18-14 on a Chris Meeks free throw with 13:04 left.
The teams went back and forth before the Tigers (2-0) put together a 10-0 run to grab their biggest lead of the half at 30-22 with 8:39 left following a Chey Christie layup. Again, the Panthers clawed back into contention behind the shooting of White, who connected on four three-point baskets before halftime for 14 first-half points.
A thunderous dunk by Danny Gathings off an alley-oop pass from Landon Quick pulled HPU within two at 43-41 with 1:10 to play before the break. Clemson led 45-41 at intermission.
The seesaw continued well into the second half, as Gathings cut Clemson's lead to 48-45 with 17:55 to play. But Clemson responded with 10 of the next 12 points to take its biggest lead at 57-47 after a Chris Hobbs dunk.
Still, the Panthers wouldn't go away. High Point hung around and pulled within three points at 67-64 with 8:10 to go following a White layup.
But it was as close as HPU would get. White kept the Panthers in it, scoring the final two of his 26 points on a driving layup with 1:29 left to make it 82-77 before the Tigers hit free throws to seal it.
White shot 6-for-12 from behind the arc and 9-of-15 altogether. Gathings shot 8-for-12 from the field to finish with 17 points, and Jerry Echenique muscled his way in for 12 points against taller Clemson defenders. Jorsua Chambers contributed seven points, seven rebounds and five assists on a solid all-around night.
Clemson was led in scoring by Christie's 19 points. The Tigers got 17 points from Sharrod Ford, 15 points from Hobbs and 12 points apiece from Vernon Hamilton and Olu Babalola.
High Point continues its difficult road trip with a date Wednesday night at Michigan (7:00 pm). The Panthers travel to Charlottesville Sunday afternoon to face Virginia, their second ACC opponent of the week.
