Liberty ended High Point's five-game winning streak and dealt the Panthers their first loss of the year in Big South play with a 79-66 victory Saturday night at the Vines Center in Lynchburg.
The Panthers dip to 10-5 (3-1 in the League), while the Flames improve to 6-10 (3-1).
HPU cut an 18-point Liberty advantage to eight points in the second half, but the Flames' hot shooting and defensive pressure stifled any chance the Panthers had of a comeback.
Jerry Echenique led HPU with 16 points, while Zione White (13 points) and Danny Gathings and Jorsua Chambers (10 points apiece) also reached double-figures for HPU.
Gathings also had 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year.
High Point held an early 8-4 lead following baskets from four different players before the Flames heated up and put together a 16-1 run to grab a 20-9 advantage ten minutes into the game. Freshman David Dees hit a three-pointer and then converted a fast-break layup to complete the run.
Following back-to-back baskets by Gathings and Echenique, the Flames put together another run and scored 14 of the next 18 points to claim a 34-17 lead. Liberty led by as many as 18 points in the first half, and took a 41-24 lead to intermission after Larry Blair nailed a three-pointer with 11 seconds to play.
The Panthers shot just 34 percent from the field and were limited to 1-of-8 shooting from three-point range in the first half, while Liberty's freshman duo of Dees and Blair combined for 24 points in the same span. LU shot 48 percent in the opening period.
Chambers led HPU with eight first-half points.
High Point made a charge after halftime and pulled within single-digits at 49-40 with 13:48 left after White stole the ball, dunked, and then converted two free throws on the next trip down. The Panthers got within eight at 63-55 following a Landon Quick free throw with 5:21 to play, but could creep no closer.
Blair led all scorers with 23 points. Gabe Martin added 14 points for Liberty, and Dees (12 points) and Louvon Sneed (10 points) also broke double-digits.
The Panthers, who slipped into a tie with Liberty and Birmingham-Southern for first place in the Big South at 3-1, return home to host VMI Wednesday night at 7:00 pm.
