Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's basketball team stayed in striking distance throughout the first half but was outdistanced in the second, taking an 85-38 loss to the University of Georgia on Tuesday at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga. Junior Shay Shine led the Panthers with 15 points.

High Point fell to 5-5 overall while Georgia improved to 8-2. The Panthers are 2-0 in Big South Conference play.

Shine scored the first basket of the game for the Panthers before Georgia scored the next 13 points, including a three-point play by Jeremy Price, a three-pointer by Trey Thompkins and three layups from Gerald Robinson. Shine broke up the run with a jumper to make it 13-4.

Robinson was consistently able to drive the lane for layups, going 5-for-5 to start the game and lead the Bulldogs to a 24-11 lead. Georgia stretched its lead to 34-21 when Donte' Williams hit a pair of free throws with under a minute to go, but Shine drained a three that made it 34-24 at halftime. HPU sophomore Jairus Simms hit two treys and a key jumper for the Panthers in the first half.

Georgia came out with the first seven points of the second half to take a 41-24 lead, prompting Cherry to call a timeout. Senior Earnest Bridges tipped in a Corey Law shot coming out of the timeout to end the drought and a three-pointer from Shine a minute later made it 43-29.

Junior Nick Barbour hit a three – his only basket of the game – to make it 49-32 but Georgia scored the next 11 points, including seven by Robinson, to make it 60-32. The Panthers scored five of the next six points to make it 61-37, but HPU hit just one free throw in the remainder of the game and took the 85-38 loss.

Georgia was paced by Robinson's 21 points. Thompkins scored 15, Connor Nolte scored 11 and Dustin Ware scored 10 for the Bulldogs.

Along with his 15 points, Shine pulled down seven rebounds. Law has seven points and a game-high eight rebounds.

High Point gets a break for the holidays before returning with a Big South game against Charleston Southern on Dec. 31 at 4:30 p.m. in North Charleston, S.C. The Panthers take on Coastal Carolina on the road on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m.