High Point had four players in double figures as they bounced back from Saturday's loss to defeat Big South foe Birmingham-Southern tonight, 72-62. HPU improves to 17-5 overall and a program best 8-1 in the conference while BSC falls to 10-12 (4-5 Big South).

Leading the Panthers was Big South Preseason Player of the Year Katie O'Dell with 20 points. This is O'Dell's seventh game this season scoring 20 or more points. O'Dell's eight rebounds tonight moved her into eighth place on the HPU career records list with 624. She moves just ahead of Barbara Ross who had 622.

Also scoring in double figures tonight was junior Katie Ralls who tied a career high with 15. Candyce Sellars also had 15 while freshman Ayonna Thompson posted a career high 11 points.

"I thought we responded great in tonight's game after Saturday's loss," said High Point University head coach Tooey Loy. "We were looking for someone to step up and [Katie] O'Dell did after struggling the past couple of games. This was a great breakout game for [Ayonna] Thompson also. She played a great game tonight."

For the visiting Panthers Stacey Anthony scored a career high 26 points including a school record setting eight three pointers. She was 9-of-14 from the field and 8-of-12 from behind the arc. Reba Ross tossed in 11 points and pulled down 10 boards.

High Point jumped out to an early lead, starting the game with a 19-6 run. Birmingham tried to respond with Ross hitting three straight baskets to bring the visiting Panthers within seven. Sellars hit back-to-back baskets to bring the HPU lead back up to 10. The closest that Birmingham would come to taking the lead in the first half was at the 8:39 mark when they were down by 6 (22-16). High Point went on a 21-11 run to end the half and to take a 16 point lead into the break.

Coming out of the intermission, Sellars hit a lay-up to give High Point its largest lead of the game with 18. HPU controlled most of the second half. Anthony hit back-to-back three pointers around the six minute mark to bring Birmingham within eight (65-57) before High Point again increased the lead to double digits.

Going into the final minute of the game BSC made it a six point game with a lay-up from Brittani Ballard. High Point sealed the victory with free throws in the final seconds.

HPU shot 12-of-25 (48-percent) from behind the arc for the game and was 22-54 (40-percent) from the field. The team also shot 72-percent from the charity stripe.

Birmingham won out on the boards, pulling down 48 rebounds to High Point's 37.

"Now it's time to get ready for Saturday's game," Loy said. "Liberty can run a 2-3 zone and we need to be ready for that."
 

High Point will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 18 when the team travels to Lynchburg, Va. to take on conference rival, Liberty. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the Vines Center.