Despite placing four players in double figures and out-rebounding their opponent by 15, the High Point men's basketball team suffered a disappointing 62-59 loss to Savannah State on Saturday afternoon in Tiger Arena.

The Panthers (6-5) got 13 points from both Arizona Reid and Mike Jefferson with Tim Burns and Eugene Harris both chipping in 12. Savanna State (7-9) was led by 12 points off the bench from Curtis Brown and 11 points each for Anthony Jones and Joel Davila.

HPU made more baskets (22-18), more three-pointers (7-1) and grabbed more rebounds (38-23 including a 17-7 edge on the offensive glass) than the Tigers, but 21 turnovers and a 25-8 deficit in free throws made proved to be the difference in the contest.

Savannah State seized the early lead as High Point struggled to get on the board with their first score of the game coming at 14:03 in the first half on an old-fashioned three-point play by Reid. In spite of the slow start, HPU trailed just 5-3 after that score. SSU pushed in front by six only to see HPU battle back to grab an 11-10 lead following an 8-1 run.

The Tigers regained the lead and held it for the remainder of the half as High Point made a late charge to cut their deficit to just two points, 27-25, at the break.

High Point turned up the intensity early in the second half earning the lead several times until the Tigers used a 9-0 surge to grab a 43-35 lead with 11:25 to play. The Panthers would rally with seven straight points to close the gap to just one at 43-42 (10:21) in just a minute of game action.

SSU would build their lead back to six points and then hold off any late Panther surge by making seven straight free throws in the final minute to ice the victory.

In addition to his game-high 13 points, Reid also led all players with 12 rebounds recording his fifth straight double-double and eighth of the season. Jefferson handed out seven assists and also pulled down five rebounds for the Panthers.

HPU will have 11 days off from competition before returning to the court on Jan. 2 in Gainesville, Fla., against the two-time defending National Champion Florida Gators.