With a balanced attack led by Leslie Cook and Amber Manuel, the High Point University women's basketball team picked up its fourth straight win on Saturday, downing Coastal Carolina, 65-52, in the Mills Athletic Center.

Cook and Manuel each had 14 points for the Panthers (12-8, 6-1). The fourteen marked a new career high for Manuel. Candyce Sellars chipped in 11. Senior point guard Katie Ralls record five assists which moves her into fifth on HPU's All-Time Assist leaders list with 335. She passed both Ethel White and Shelly Whitaker.

For the Chanticleers (13-7, 4-3) Alisha Dill led the way with a game-high 26 points. Calisha Yates had seven.

High Point came out firing in the first half to score the first three field goals of the game and jump out to an early, 8-2 lead off a three pointer from Sellars. The Chanticleers, who shot just 19-percent from the field in the opening period, did not make a field goal until the 13:10 mark when Lacey Lyons connected to pull CCU within five. The Panthers would respond with an 11-4 run, to give them a 20-9 lead with 6:48 remaining. Just when Coastal cut the lead to single digits, HPU went on a 12-6 run to close out the half and take a 32-19 advantage into the break.

Coming out of the intermission Coastal would make a 12-2 run to come within three at 16:23 off a pair of free throws from C.J. Ware, but a three pointer from Cook and back-to-back jumpers from Caitlin Thys would keep the Panthers in the lead. Coastal would again surge to pull within two, but another three point basket from Cook would spark a 22-11 HPU run as the Panthers controlled the final 10 minutes of the game.  

The Panthers won the battle on the boards, outrebounding Coastal, 41-35. Manuel had a game-high eight rebounds. With tonight's win HPU moves into first in the Big South Conference, owning the tie-breaker over Liberty.

High Point will return to the court on Tuesday, Feb. 6 when Charleston Southern comes into the Millis Center. Game time is set for 7 p.m.