Box Score BOX SCORE

Four different players scored in double figures as the High Point University women's basketball team used a 28-8 second-half run to beat UNC Greensboro, 75-63, in the Millis Center on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Shamia Brown (Raeford, N.C./Hoke County) came off the bench to lead all HPU scorers with 20 points in the win.

“I thought we were a great team at times,” said head coach Tooey Loy. “The thing we need to take from this game is that we had too many let downs. We had a chance to put the game out of reach early but we kind of relaxed a little bit. UNCG is a very good team and they took advantage of that and got back in it. I thought we came back and really got our game going.”

Joining Brown in double figures was junior Jurica Hargraves (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill), with 13, junior Amy Dodd (Apex, N.C./Apex), with 12, and freshman Laura Reynolds (West Chester, Pa./Henderson) with a career-high 11. Dodd and senior Ashlee' Samuels (Wytheville, Va./George Wythe) each grabbed six rebounds to lead the Panthers while junior Frances Fields (Sumter, S.C./Sumter) dished out a team-best nine assists.

Down one with 15 minutes left in the game, the Panthers outscored the Spartans 28-8 to open a 19-point lead and take control of the game. High Point shot 7-11 from the field and 9-11 from the free-throw line while also forcing nine UNCG turnovers to pull away from the Spartans. Brown scored 10 points during the run to lead HPU.

High Point took an early lead, jumping up 17-4 in the opening six minutes of play. HPU shot 7-11 from the floor to start the game and forced seven turnovers by the Spartans. Dodd scored six points in the early run and Reynolds contributed five.

Down 21-10, UNC Greensboro refused to go away. The Spartans went on a 17-6 run to pull even with HPU, 27-27, with six minutes remaining in the half. The two teams traded baskets over the final minutes before a layup by Brown at the buzzer gave the Panthers a 35-32 halftime lead.

The HPU defense hounded the Spartans throughout the game, forcing 33 turnovers and recording 13 steals and five blocks. Fields and junior Mackenzie Maier (Charleston, W.Va./Charleston Catholic)each had four steals and both Maier and Samuels finished the game with two blocks.

“33 turnovers is an impressive number because UNC Greensboro has very good guards,” said Loy. “Our intensity for most of the game was very good. Shamia came in and did a great job getting our trap set and making people who didn't want to handle the ball handle the ball. That is what we want to do, we want to get 25 turnovers from the other team every game and if we can do that we will be successful.”

High Point's depth was again on display with three of HPU's four double-digit scorers coming off the bench. The Panthers' bench accounted for 51 of High Point's 75 points and outscored UNCG's reserves, 51-30. It was the third straight game that the HPU bench has outscored its opponents'.

“When you have the Preseason Player of the Year and the defending Freshman of the Year coming off the bench you are going to get some scoring,” said Loy. “At times our five on the bench are probably better than the five on the floor. It is nice to have because we should never go through scoring droughts. We should be able to score for 40 minutes if we do what we are supposed to do.”

Monique Floyd led UNC Greensboro with 13 points and five rebounds and Lakiah Hyson contributed 10 points and three steals.

The Panthers improve to 2-1 with the win while the Spartans drop to 1-2. The 2-1 record is HPU's best start to a season since 2005-06.

High Point next hits the road for four straight games, starting on Wednesday, Nov. 25, when The Panthers travel to nearby Winston-Salem, N.C., to take on the ACC's Wake Forest. Tipoff for the game is set for 3 p.m.