Box Score BOX SCORE
Postgame with Scott Cherry
Sophomore
Nick Barbour scored 21 points in the second half but couldn't lead a comeback as the High Point University men's basketball team took an 84-73 loss to UNC Asheville in the quarterfinals of the Big South Tournament on Tuesday in Asheville, N.C. The Panthers trailed by as many as 18 in the game but closed the gap to eight with just over seven minutes left. Barbour led all scorers with 25 points.
“I want to thank my two seniors,
Cruz Daniels and
Eugene Harris, I certainly didn't want their careers to end this way,” said HPU head coach
Scott Cherry. “I want to thank them for everything they did for my family, High Point University and the community.”
“As for the game itself, I credit UNC Asheville. They started fast and finished fast. My guys battled hard and gave it everything they had, we just didn't make plays we needed to make. Shots didn't fall numerous times when they were bouncing on the rim and on tip-ins. Eighteen-for-32 from the free throw line didn't help either.”
UNC Asheville jumped out to a 9-1 lead to start the game but the Panthers went on a 6-0 run to bring the game within two on a layup in the paint by
David Singleton but it was as close as HPU would come in the first half as UNC Asheville led by as many as 17.
HPU junior
David Campbell provided a spark off the bench for the Panthers, scoring his first bucket of the game on a free throw with 3:29 left in the first half. He hit the second free throw to make it a 30-15 deficit. UNCA's J.P. Primm missed a jumper on the next possession and Harris came down with the rebound. Barbour missed his layup but Campbell was there for the rebound and the putback. On the next HPU possession Campbell drilled a three to make it a 30-20 game with two and a half minutes left in the first half. The Bulldogs finished the half on a 6-0 run to take a 36-20 lead in to the locker room.
Corey Law hit a jumper and was fouled on the first possession of the second half. He made the free throw to convert the three point play, making it a 36-23 deficit. UNC Asheville would hold on to a double-digit lead for much of the second half. With 7:25 on the clock, Harris hit a pair of free throws, bringing the Panthers within eight at 61-53. UNCA answered with a 5-0 run, extending the lead to 11. High Point got within six points when
Tehran Cox hit a pair of free throws with 58 seconds to go but couldn't get any closer. Barbour scored 13 of HPU's final 18 points spanning the last 4:58.
Primm led UNC Asheville with 23 points. Sean Smith scored 20, including five treys, and Matt Dickey scored 18 points.
High Point University finished the season with a 15-15 record and went 10-8 in conference play in its first season under Cherry. It was a huge improvement from HPU's 9-21, 4-14 campaign last year.
“I'm extremely happy with this year and where the program is heading,” said Cherry. “I feel very good about the kids I have in the locker room, and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to be a head coach and get to coach these kids.”
UNC Asheville improved to 15-15 with the win and advanced to the Big South Tournament semifinals against top-seed Coastal Carolina on Thursday.
