Box Score High Point whittled a 13-point halftime deficit down to three points in the second half, but couldn't complete the comeback and fell to four-time defending Southern Conference champion Chattanooga, 66-53, Wednesday night at the Millis Center.

The loss was the first for the Panthers to a non-conference opponent at home in nearly two years, dating back to a Dec. 16, 2001 loss to Wake Forest at the Millis Center.

Charlena Martin led all scorers with 21 points, while Katie O'Dell scored 17 points for HPU.

The Panthers (4-4) held the lead for the opening nine minutes before the Lady Mocs (5-2) surged ahead 15-13 on a three-pointer by Miranda Warfield. Chattanooga used a 13-2 run to power ahead and held the Panthers to just one field goal in the final 6:08 of the first half to take a 37-24 advantage to the locker room.

Martin and O'Dell were responsible for 22 of HPU's 24 points before intermission.

High Point scored 13 of the first 18 points of the second half to pull within 42-37 on an old-fashioned three-point play by Martin with 15:57 to play. Following a layup by Warfield, High Point native Katie Ralls drained a three to cut the lead to 44-40.

Minutes later, the Panthers used a 9-2 run which featured a pair of treys by Chan Ingram and another trey by O'Dell to get within three points at 52-49 with 9:52 left.

But the Lady Mocs pulled away behind Warfield (team-high 17 points), Tiffani Roberson (14 points, nine rebounds, three steals) and Katasha Brown (12 points) to claim their fifth win of the season.

Emily Mills grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for HPU, while Ralls added six assists.

High Point will have some time off before returning to the court for a Dec. 29 matchup with cross-county rival North Carolina A&T at the Millis Center (7:00 pm).