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The High Point University women's basketball team dropped its final game of the regular season, 73-48, to Liberty Monday night in Lynchburg, Va. Junior Frances Fields and sophomore Shamia Brown each scored nine points to lead HPU.

“I am proud of the way we battled in this game,” head coach Tooey Loy said. “The regular season is over now and we did some great things this year including winning a tournament at Florida. At times this season we have been maybe the best team in the conference and at times we have had some bad moments. I am looking forward to taking this group into the tournament with the way we are competing and I think we have as good a shot as anyone.”

The Panthers struggled against the aggressive Liberty defense, shooting just 34 percent (16-47) from the field while being held to its second-lowest point total of the season.

Five minutes into the game Liberty held just a two-point advantage, leading 7-5. Junior LaTeisha Dean scored all five of HPU's points in the opening minutes with a long two-pointer from the right elbow and a three from the left elbow.

Coming out of a timeout LU gained control of the game with a 9-3 run over the next three minutes to take a 16-8 lead. Freshman Erin Reynolds connected on three for the Panthers' only basket.

The two teams traded baskets over the final 12 minutes of the first half as the Flames' lead remained eight at the break, 33-25. Dean led HPU with six points at the break and Brown provided a spark for the Panthers with five points off the bench. Liberty's Devon Brown led all scorers at the break with 16 points.

A 7-3 spurt out of the break by the Flames pushed the LU lead to 12, 40-28, three minutes into the second half. Freshman Laura Whitt connected on her first career three for HPU's only points in the opening minutes of the half.

High Point managed to cut the lead to eight with a layup and two free throws on consecutive possessions by Fields but LU continued to pull away, outscoring High Point 21-7 over the next nine minutes to open a 23-point lead, 64-41, with seven minutes left in the game.

High Point stopped the LU run, trimming the Liberty lead to 19 in the final minutes before ultimately falling, 73-48.

Devon Brown finished with a game-high 23 points for the Flames who improve to 24-5 overall and 14-2 in the Big South, clinching the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.

High Point finishes the regular season with a 16-13 overall record and a 9-7 record in the Big South. The Panthers will be the No. 3 seed in the Big South tournament which begins Friday, March 12. HPU will play No. 6 Winthrop at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the Millis Center. It will be the last of four first round games played at the Millis Center on the day.