Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's basketball team came back to cut a 12-point deficit to one point late in the game but took a 70-64 loss to Hampton on Sunday afternoon at the Millis Center. Junior guard Nick Barbour led HPU with 25 points.

"I'm proud of my guys and the way they fought to hold Hampton to 15 percent shooting in the second half. You expect to win a game when you do that," said HPU head coach Scott Cherry. "Offensively we had three or four chances but we turned it over. Shay Shine had a good look a three but it didn't go in. It shouldn't come down to just a few plays, though; it's a 40 minute game. We fought hard and played hard against a very good, experienced Hampton team. We put ourselves in a position to win but just didn't make the plays."

High Point dropped to 2-3 while Hampton improved to 5-1 on the young season. All six of Hampton's games have been on the road.

Hampton's lead had grown to 12 (51-39) when Darrion Pellum hit a pair of free throws with 14:11 remaining in the game, but the Panthers charged back to get within one. It became a contest of free throws in the final 10 minutes. HPU freshman Xavier Martin drew two straight fouls, hitting three of four free throws to cut Hampton's lead to 56-55 with 7:12 left and that was the closest the Panthers would get.

HPU hung around into the final minutes, cutting the lead back to two (63-61) when Barbour hit a jumper with 2:38 remaining but Hampton went 7-for-8 on free throws in the final minute to ice it. Pellum led all scorers with 33 points, including 18 in the second half (16 on free throws). The Panthers held Hampton to 15.8 percent from the field in the second half, but the Pirates converted 23-of-31 free throws to maintain the lead.

Barbour kept HPU close in the first half with 18 points. That came on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor, including 4-for-4 from three-point range. His 25 points in the game were a season high. Senior Earnest Bridges scored 10 points and sophomore Corey Law had nine points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Behind Pellum's 33 points, Mike Tuitt scored 13 and Kwame Morgan had 11 points. Three different Hampton players pulled down seven rebounds. Pellum went 19-for23 from the charity stripe.

High Point University kicks off its Big South slate this week when it hosts Gardner-Webb on Thursday at 7 p.m. and UNC Asheville on Saturday at 7 p.m. Thursday's game will be televised live on MASN.