The High Point University women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking, 55-54 game to Winthrop on Monday evening at Winthrop Coliseum. The game marks HPU's first Big South loss of the season as it drops to 4-1 in League play and 8-10 overall. WU improves to 7-9 overall and 2-3 in conference.

Sophomore Mackenzie Maier posted 16 points on 6-of-8 from the field including 3-of-3 from behind the arc. Jurica Hargraves had 14 points. Frances Fields dished the ball out eight times and pulled down five rebounds. Andrea Tucker led all Panthers on the boards with seven rebounds.

For the Eagles, Ashley Fann had 22 points and 18 rebounds. She went 7-of-14 from the field and connected on 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Francesca Davenport added 12 points while Jennifer Walker had 10.

High Point took an early 7-2 lead before Winthrop tied the game at nine each with just over 12 minutes to play. Both teams then went cold, making just one field goal each over the next four and a half minutes. With 7:25 on the clock Winthrop was up 15-12, but Dean connected on a jumper to cut the WU lead to one. After a made charity by the Eagles' Ashley Haugtvedt, Dean connected on a three pointer on HPU's next possession to give High Point the 16-17 advantage with 6:21 left in the first half.

HPU and WU traded leads over the next two minutes, and with 4:45 left a jumper from Brown gave the Panthers a 21-18 lead. But that was the final field goal that High Point would score in the opening period as Winthrop closed out the half with an 8-0 run to take a 26-21 advantage into the break.

Coming out of the break the Eagles went up by seven (32-25) at 16:48, but the Panthers responded with back-to-back three pointers from Maier to cut the lead down to three. Winthrop went back on top by four, but Maier went to work again and connected on a jumper followed by another three pointer to give HPU its first lead (38-37) since the first half with 11:54 to play.

The two teams were tied at 40 with 11:11 on the clock and remained that way until a three pointer from Jessica Fansler put the Eagles up by three at with 8:21 to go. The Eagles went back on top by as many as six, but then it was Hargraves turn to go to work. She connected on a three pointer, followed by a fast break jumper with 5:34 remaining. Hargraves connected on the following free throw to tie the game at 47.

High Point followed with a 7-1 run to take a five point lead into the final minute of play. A foul sent Amy Dodd to the line, but she would miss as Davenport pulled down the rebound and was fouled. She connected on her pair to pull the Eagles within one. On the next HPU possession, Hargraves was sent to the line, but the miss would give WU back the ball and Fann would connect from the field on the opposite end. High Point would have one more chance, but the outside shot fell short as Winthrop sealed the win.

"We really came back in the second half," said head coach Tooey Loy. "But we were just unable to connect on our free throws in the final minute. I'm proud of our team, they played well tonight and never gave up."

Winthrop held the 48-31 advantage on the boards, but HPU forced 22 turnovers while only giving the ball up 16 times.

The Panthers will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 24 when they host Presbyterian. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. at the Millis Center.