Box Score BOX SCORE

The High Point University women's basketball team played Gardner-Webb close all night, but could not take the lead in the second half, falling to the Runnin' Bulldogs, 68-60, on Monday evening in Boiling Springs, N.C. Junior Shamia Brown scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead HPU on the night.

“We had great intensity tonight and did a lot of good things but we didn't finish the game we needed to,” head coach Tooey Loy said. “The Hudson twins really took over the last four minutes. We didn't do a good job defending them. Offensively we got a little too quick. This is a great game to learn from that can help us get better come the conference tournament.”

The Panthers struggled shooting the ball all night, shooting just 30.9 percent from the field, but were dangerous from behind the arc with nine three pointers on the evening. High Point falls to 12-13 overall and 6-6 in the Big South with the loss.

Gardner-Webb's Monique Hudson led all scorers with 26 points for the Runnin' Bulldogs who improve to 17-9 overall and 9-4 in the Big South.

High Point struggled to shoot the ball at the outset of the game and trailed by as much as nine during the first half. With 5:23 left in the half, the Panthers trailed, 29-22, when a three-pointer from senior Amy Dodd started an 11-2 run by HPU. Brown finished the run with two free throws to give High Point its first lead since a 3-2 advantage less than two minutes into the game.

The two teams traded baskets the rest of the half with GWU ultimately carrying a 35-33 lead into the break. Brown and senior Jurica Hargraves each finished the period with nine points to lead HPU while the Runnin' Bulldogs were paced by Monique Hudson who led all scorers with 15 points.

The Panthers managed to tie the game six different times in the second half but were unable to break through to claim the lead. HPU's last tie in the game came at 53-53 with 9:21 left in the contest but the Runnin' Bulldogs outscored High Point 15-7 the rest of the way to pick up the 68-60 win.

Senior LaTeisha Dean and Hargraves joined Brown in double figures with 13 and 11 points each. Senior Mackenzie Maier led HPU with seven rebounds and five assists.

High Point's three-game road trip continues on Saturday, Feb. 26, when the team heads to Rock Hill, S.C., to take on Winthrop. The Panthers will be looking for the season sweep after picking up a 64-49 win over the Eagles earlier this season in Millis. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.