Box Score BOX SCORE

A late second-half run doomed the High Point University women's basketball team against Liberty as the Panthers fell to the defending Big South conference champions, 75-62, Saturday afternoon in the Millis Center. Junior Jurica Hargraves and sophomore Shamia Brown each scored 13 to lead HPU. 

“We played an effective first half but we left some points on the board,” head coach Tooey Loy said. “In the second half, we didn't do a good job defending. Liberty got to the basket way to often and when they missed the got offensive rebounds. We have to learn from this game and get better on the defensive end so we can make stops and get out in transition.”

The Panthers led by seven, 41-34, at the half, but were outscored 19-4 over a 9:04 span late in the second half which included a period of 6:54 in which HPU was held without a point. Liberty's Devon Brown and Avery Warley combined to score 14 of Liberty's 18 points while High Point went 1-7 from the field and had three turnovers during the run.

The game was tied 14-14 five minutes into the game as the two teams traded baskets to open the contest. Senior Ashlee' Samuels connected three times from the low blocks to score six of the Panthers first 14 points.

The game remained close in the first half with the lead swinging back and forth between the two teams. A fast break lay-up by Shamia Brown and a free throw by junior Frances Fields gave HPU a four-point lead, 20-16, with 11:52 left in the half but the Flames responded with five straight points to take a 21-20 lead. In all, there were six ties and eight lead changes in the first 15 minutes.

With just under seven minutes left in the period and the two teams tied at 27-27, junior Amy Dodd found Hargraves in the corner for a three to put HPU up, 30-27. The bucket sparked a 12-3 run by the Panthers, giving them a 39-30 lead with just over one minute remaining in the half. Hargraves scored five points during the run while Shamia Brown added four on a short jumper and two free throws.

Four straight points by Devon Brown on two free throws and a fast-break layup cut the High Point lead to five, 39-34 with one minute remaining but Hargraves drew a foul and hit two free throws and the Panthers went into the half with a 41-34 lead.

Hargraves scored 10 points to lead HPU at the break while Warley led all scorers with 16 for LU.

Liberty opened the second half on a 9-2 run in the first five minutes, including six points by Devin Brown, to tie the game at 43. With the Panther's lead gone, the game settled back into a see-saw battle with four ties and three lead changes over the next five minutes. The 19-4 run by the Flames broke the stalemate and gave Liberty a 72-57 lead, with just under one minute left in the contest.

A jumper by junior LaTeisha Dean and a three by Hargraves from the left corner cut the Liberty lead to 10, 72-62, 33 seconds left, but the Flames hit three of four free throws to seal the 75-62 win.

After shooting 58.3 percent (14-24) in the first half, the Panthers shot just 24 percent (6-20) in the second. Dodd grabbed a team-best six rebounds to go along with seven points and four assists while Fields had eight points and team-best six assists.

Devon Brown led all scorers with 29 points for Liberty and Warley recorded a double-double with 26 points and a game-best 14 rebounds. 

With the loss, the Panthers fall to 13-8 overall and 6-2 in the Big South. The Flames improve to 15-4 overall and move into second in the Big South with a 6-1 record in conference play.

High Point will kick off the second half of the conference schedule on Saturday, Feb. 6, when they travel to Conway, S.C. to play Coastal Carolina. In the teams' first meeting on Jan. 2, the Panthers beat the Chanticleers 79-39. Tip-off for the game is set for 2 p.m.