Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's basketball team opened Big South play with a heartpounding 66-64 win over Gardner-Webb on Thursday night in the Millis Center. Senior Tehran Cox and juniors Nick Barbour and Shay Shine combined for 46 of the Panthers 66 points on the night.

"This was a very good win at home against a good basketball team," said HPU head coach Scott Cherry. "Several guys stepped up for us in addition to Nick and Shay -- Tehran Cox had an unbelievable game. Travis Elliott, Georges Massoda, Justin Cheek and Xavier Martin all came in and helped in the first half. It was a really good team effort when we were in some foul trouble. It was great to pull out this win tonight."

Shine hit a high arching fadeaway shot to break a 63-63 tie and put High Point up, 65-63, with just 1:24 left in the game. After Gardner-Webb's Stefon Johnson hit one of two free throws to pull his team within one, the Bulldogs immediately fouled Cox to put him on the line. The point guard sank one of two to give HPU a 66-64 lead with 30 seconds left in the game.

The Runnin' Bulldogs would get a look at a three pointer from the top of the key, but the contested shot by David Brown glanced off the front of the rim and was rebounded by HPU's Corey Law. Shine would miss two free throws with a chance to ice the game at the other end, but a shot from 30-feet out by Gardner-Webb's Laron Buggs hit off the rim, securing the 66-64 win for the Panthers.

Barbour led HPU with 16 points while Shine and Cox each scored 15 for HPU. Shine set a career high and Cox tied his career high. Johnson led all scorers with 20 points and Gardner-Webb's Jon Moore scored 13 and added 10 rebounds. GWU's Josh Henley came off the bench to grab a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Panthers improved to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in the Big South with the win. Gardner-Webb fell to 5-4 overall and 0-1 in the Big South.

Cox led off the game with a trey and HPU scored on its first four possessions. The Bulldogs brought it back in close before HPU opened up a lead in the first half. Barbour hit two free throws and freshman Travis Elliott scored on a put back to push the lead back to seven at 21-14 with nine minutes left in the first half. At the 5:05 mark, Shine hit a three-pointer that made it 32-20.

Gardner-Webb trailed HPU by 14 points with just over two minutes left in the half but closed on an 8-2 run to make the score 42-34 halftime.

The Running Bulldogs would continue their run after halftime, outscoring HPU 15-5 to take their first lead of the game, 49-47, with 11:34 left in the game. It was close for the remainder. HPU rattled off six-straight points to take a 63-58 lead at one point, but Gardner-Webb came out of a timeout and scored five of their own to tie it back up.

The High Point defense swarmed Gardner-Webb, forcing 19 turnovers and hounding the Runnin' Bulldogs into a 0-15 night from behind the arc. Law had 11 rebounds in the game, including nine on the defensive end, and blocked three shots for the Panthers.

The Panthers are back in action on Saturday against UNC Asheville.

"We've just got to get ready as quickly as possible for UNC Asheville on Saturday," said Cherry. "We're going to go through some things that Asheville does, but more importantly we have to get our young players ready for another game in 48 hours. Good teams can play well again and win games in less than 48 hours."

HPU hosts UNC Asheville on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Millis Center. High Point will look to avenge to the loss to the Bulldogs in the first round of the Big South tournament last season.