A balanced Charleston Southern performance wasn't enough to overcome a 31-point performance by junior Arizona Reid, as High Point came from 21-points down to beat Buccaneers 95-87 in an exciting overtime game, Saturday night inside a packed house at the CSU Field House.
With the win, High Point extends their Division I program record winning streak to seven games and moved to 14-5 on the season, and a perfect 5-0 record in the Big South. CSU falls to 5-14 on the season and 0-5 in the conference after dropping their 11th straight game.
Junior Mike Jefferson helped support Reid's total, scoring 22 points, including five three-pointers and handed out seven assists. Freshman Tim Burns also hit double-digits, scoring a career-best 10 points for the Panthers. Reid pulled down a game best 11 rebounds to record his eighth double-double of the season.
The Bucs had five players score in double figures, with senior Dwayne Jackson leading the way with 21 points. Senior Donnell Covington fought off leg cramps to score 20, and junior Terrance Grier scored 12, including a 4-9 performance from behind the arc. Sophomore Giedrius Knysas and freshman Marquise Duvall added 10 each for the Bucs.
"This was one of the most amazing things I've seen as a coach," said HPU head coach Bart Lundy. "Usually in a comeback your opponent gives you opportunities, but tonight they would not fold. We were just able to make the plays to get the win. This was truly a team win because everyone played a part in our finding a way to get the win. I am very proud of this team and their effort tonight because this was a big win our us."
The two teams battled tight in the first half, before a 9-2 CSU run gave the Bucs a lead of 18-14. The Panthers came back to tie it at 18, but a Terrance Grier three and a turnaround by Knysas put CSU back up by five. Reid had an answer, though, as he rattled off 10-straight Panther points to put High Point back in front.
From there, the Buccaneers took control, as High Point scored just seven points in the final 8:10 of the half. Four of those seven came from the free throw line, and CSU outscored the Panthers 16-7 over that time period. A three-pointer by Covnington off the backboard as the halftime buzzer sounded kept momentum for CSU and put them up by their largest margin of the game at 46-36.
The Bucs maintained the momentum, scoring the first 11 points in the second half, grabbing a 21 point lead and appeared to be ready to close the door on HPU. However, the Panthers refused to quit clawing back into it, outscoring CSU 22-5 over the next 4:11, to close to within two at 64-62.
It appeared that the game would come down to free throws, as 16 of the last 18 points the Bucs scored came from the line, as they clung to a late lead. Six free throws by Jackson appeared to ice the game as the Bucs had a five-point lead with 16.2 seconds to go. A three pointer by Jefferson would pull High Point to within two with 9.0 seconds left, and a five-second violation on the Bucs gave HPU the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead at the end.
Sophomore Troy Bowen scored just four points, but two of them came in the waning seconds as he drove in and drew the foul with 5.0 seconds on the clock. He calmly sunk both free throws, tying the game at 85-85, and a half-court shot by Covington fell short as he tried for second buzzer-beater of the night.
An energized and athletic High Point team proved too much in the extra period as they scored the first six, on their way to outscoring CSU 10-2 in overtime. The Bucs' only points came from the free throw line as Jackson hit two with 1:53 left.
The game marked HPU's first overtime contest since a 98-85 win over UNC Asheville on Mar. 1, 2005. It was CSU's second overtime game of the season.
High Point will travel up the road to face Coastal Carolina on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the second half of their Big South "Beach Trip".
