The High Point University women's basketball team defeated Longwood tonight, 59-41. HPU improves to 7-7 on the season while Longwood falls to 5-11.

Leslie Cook and Candyce Sellars each had eight points in the game to lead the Panthers. Amber Manuel pulled down nine rebounds to lead HPU on the boards.

For the Lancers Courtney Dyer had 10 points while Keiva Small added nine. Anna Steg had a game-high 11 rebounds.

High Point controlled the first half, jumping out to a 15 point lead (20-5) at the 7:12 mark after eight straight baskets highlighted by a three pointer from Jennifer Long. The Lancers would get on the board again to pull within 11 at 3:23, but that is as close as they would come in the first period as the Panthers scored seven more points to close out the half and take a 17 point lead, 27-10, into the break.

Coming out of halftime HPU took its largest lead of the game, 19 points, off a jumper from Sellars at 19:30. Longwood would rally to outscore High Point, 11-5 over the next eight minutes to pull within 13 (38-25). The Lancers wouldn't get any closer as HPU dominated the end of the second period to take the 18 point victory.

This was the final game for the Panthers before entering the conference portion of the schedule. HPU will travel to Birmingham, Ala. on Saturday, Jan. 13 to face Birmingham-Southern. Game time is set for 2 p.m. CST (3 p.m. EST).