Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University men's basketball team cut a 20-point deficit to single digits in the final minute but took an 87-74 loss to VMI on Thursday night at Cameron Hall in Lexington, Va. HPU had two 20-point scorers for the first time this season – Nick Barbour and Shay Shine.

“There were a lot of different reasons we lost this game, but we just didn't want it bad enough tonight,” said HPU head coach Scott Cherry. “We had a good first half. Then in the second half there were defensive rebounds we should have been getting and plays we should have been making. We went into a lull and they went on a run that we couldn't come back from. We'll look at the film and see if there are some technical things we can correct before we play Liberty in 48 hours.”

High Point fell to 10-14 overall and 6-8 in the Big South while VMI improved to 13-11 overall and 6-8 in the Big South.

Barbour scored 25 points for the Panthers, including six three-pointers in the first half, to lead all scorers. Shine took over for the Panthers in the second half, scoring 20 of his 22 points. He hit five three-pointers in the second half.

For VMI, D.J. Covington scored 20 points, Ron Burks scored 17 (13 in the first half) and Stan Okoye scored 14. The Keydets outrebounded HPU, 47-30 in the game and grabbed 18 on the offensive glass.

Barbour seemed to hit every other shot for the Panthers in the first half. After VMI took an early 7-2 lead, Barbour hit two in a row to make it 8-7. Barbour's third trey and a coast-to-coast layup by Justin Cheek two minutes later made it 15-13 Panthers. The Keydets and Panthers traded blows the rest of the way. Barbour hit his fourth trey coming out of the second media timeout to make it 23-22 and his sixth tied the game at 32-32. VMI's Burks scored before Cheek hit two free throws on a three-shot foul to get it tied again at 34-34. The Keydets scored three of the last four baskets of the half – including a three-pointer by Michael Sparks – to take a 41-36 lead into the break.

Shine tied it up shortly after halftime with a putback of his own attempt, then a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 41-41. VMI then went on an 18-4 run and led the rest of the way. Burks and Keith Gabriel hit treys and both Covington and Okoye had completed three-point plays during the run. A three-pointer from Shine made it 59-49, but VMI scored the next eight points and worked its lead up to 20 (77-57) when it recovered two offensive rebounds and Covington finished a two-and-one with just over six minutes left in the game.

With VMI still carrying a 20-point lead, Shine hit consecutive three-pointers and Barbour hit a free throw to cut it to 79-66. After Barbour's free throw, Du'Vaughn Maxwell grabbed an offensive rebound that led to a three-point play by Jairus Simms, cutting VMI's lead to 79-69. Barbour hit a jumper that got High Point within nine (80-71) with under a minute remaining, but that was the closest the Panthers would get.

HPU travels to Lynchburg, Va., to take on Liberty this Saturday at 7 p.m. The Flames took the first matchup of the season, 66-60, at the Millis Center. HPU will be back at home for two games next week, hosting Winthrop on Tuesday and Appalachian State on Saturday.