Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's basketball team was within five points late in the game but eventually took a 79-63 loss to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Wednesday night. Junior Nick Barbour led the Panthers on the evening with 12 points.

"You can rewrite this story for our last several games -- we're right there," said HPU head coach Scott Cherry. "It was 55-50 and we had an open look at a three that would have made it a one-possession game. I like our team and the direction we're going. We're young and playing a lot of road games but we're close to being a really good basketball team."

The loss dropped the Panthers to 5-8 overall while Wake Forest improved to 7-8. The Panthers are 2-2 in the Big South and resume their league schedule this weekend.

Wake Forest jumped ahead early in the contest as High Point struggled shooting the ball through the first 10 minutes of the game. The Demon Deacons built a 15-8 lead midway through the first half thanks in large part to High Point shooting just 2-11 from the field and turning the ball over six times.

Four quick HPU points on a dunk by freshman Travis Elliot and two free throws by senior Tehran Cox pulled the Panthers to within three points at 15-12, but the Panthers went into the break trailing WFU by a score of 38-26 after HPU connected for just 28 percent field goal shooting in the half.

Coming out of the break, HPU went on a 10-2 run to start the second half, trimming the Wake Forest lead to just four, 40-36, with a little more than 17 minutes left in the contest. Junior Shay Shine hit a mid range jumper right out of the break to start the run in which five different Panthers scored.

A three-pointer by Shine pulled the Panthers within 55-50 with 13:21 left before Wake Forest scored 14-straight points to solidify its lead for good. Seven of the Demon Deacons' points on the run came on free throws, and Gary Clark hit a trey to finish it. A jumper by freshman Justin Cheek ended the run but the Panthers were unable to overcome the deficit.

HPU sophomore Corey Law led all players on the night with 12 rebounds, tying his season high. Cox scored nine points on the evening to go along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Panthers outrebounded Wake Forest, 34-31.

J.T. Terrell led four Wake Forest players in double figures on the night with 18 points. Forward Travis McKie finished with 13 points while both Gary Clark and C.J. Harris each had 11 points for the Demon Deacons.

HPU returns to Big South action this weekend with a trip to Radford, Va., to face the Radford Highlanders on Saturday at 7 p.m.. The Panthers will look to move back above .500 in conference with a win over the Highlanders.