Box Score  | Box Score PDF

• Redshirt-senior Stacia Robertson led the Panthers with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
• Sophomore Kaylah Keys added 13 points off of the bench on the strength of three 3-pointers.
• High Point will return home on Saturday to host Charleston Southern at 7 p.m.
 
HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women's basketball team went on the road and dropped a 78-59 decision to Presbyterian in the Templeton Center on Thursday night.
 
The Panthers (14-9, 10-4) fell behind early and couldn't catch the Blue Hose (12-11, 7-7). PC's league-best defense lived up to its billing holding the Purple & White to 18-of-47 (38 percent) shooting and forcing 22 turnovers.
 
"We have to give credit to Presbyterian," head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. "They played hard and executed for 40 minutes and we couldn't respond to their runs."
 
High Point had four players score in double figures led by redshirt-senior Stacia Robertson with 14. Robertson also led the team with eight rebounds, four blocks and three assists.
 
Sophomore Kaylah Keys chipped in with 13 points off of the bench while hitting three 3-pointers. Redshirt-senior Lindsay Puckett also drilled three triples en route to an 11-point outing. Senior Latrice Phelps rounded out the quartet with 11 points to go with six rebounds and three steals.
 
Presbyterian's offense executed well all night and finished shooting 30-of-52 (58 percent) and earned a 42-14 advantage in points in the paint.
 
The Blue Hose took control of the game early and built a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes. Freshman Hunter Fleming got HPU on the board with a nice driving layup. Aianna Kelly answered on the other end to make it 8-2 with five minutes gone before freshman Kat Harris drilled a 3-pointer to pull the Panthers within three points (8-5, 15:40).
 
However, an 8-2 run allowed the Blue Hose to stretch its lead out to nine points at 16-7 with 12:55 remaining in the half. HPU mounted a 10-4 run buoyed by two 3-pointers by Keys to, again, cut the deficit to three points at 20-17 with 9:24 remaining.
 
Neither team was able to get it going on offense and went without a field goal for the next five minutes as both teams made three free throws (23-20, 4:55). The PC offense was able to break its slump first and went on a 9-2 run to build a 32-22 lead.
 
Redshirt-senior Lindsay Puckett broke HPU's eight-minute field goal drought with a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in the half. But, the Blue Hose got a basket from Allie Walker to send the game to the half with PC leading 34-25. The Panthers shot 7-of-21 (33 percent) from the floor and committed 14 first-half turnovers.
 
Presbyterian came out of the locker room and hit its first three shots to go on an 8-2 run to extend its lead to 42-27 with 17:26 left to play. Free throws from senior Latrice Phelps and another 3-pointer by Harris cut the deficit back to 10 points (42-32, 15:53).
 
Puckett and Keys each hit triples on the next two offensive trips, but HPU couldn't get stops on the defensive end and could only pull within seven points (45-38, 13:45). The Blue Hose offense continued to click and outscored the Panthers 19-7 over the next 6:30 to take a 19-point advantage (65-45. 7:13).
 
HPU was able to scratch back within 14 points at 68-54 with 4:16 remaining, but couldn't get any closer and fell 78-59.
 
The Panthers have a 48-hour turnaround before they host Charleston Southern on Saturday at 7 p.m. during the university's Family Weekend.
 
#GoHPU