• Sophomore Emma Bockrath posted a career-high 27 points to become the first Panther to score 20-plus points in three straight games since Stacia Robertson achieved the feat in Jan. 2015.
• Sophomore Shea Morgan registered her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
• Freshman Camryn Brown scored six of her nine points in the decisive 18-2 run in the middle of the first half.
 
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The High Point University women's basketball team rode a trio of hot-shooting Ohioans to an 84-65 victory at Gardner-Webb on Saturday for the team's fifth straight triumph.
 
The Panthers (10-13, 8-4) received 27 points from sophomore Emma Bockrath while Shea Morgan tallied 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds on the afternoon. On the other hand, the Runnin' Bulldogs (10-13, 5-7) were paced by Charlisa Jenkins' 17 points and seven rebounds.
 
The two squads were even early as GWU took a 13-12 edge. However, freshman Camryn Brown tallied six points during an 18-2 run midway through the first half to give HPU a double digit lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
"We're really playing as a team on both ends of the floor," head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. "I think we're understanding the importance of defending and rebounding and have allowed that to dictate our offense. It's been cool to see this team form an identity and hope it carries us the rest of the way."
 
Bockrath's 27 points were a career high and marked her third 20-point game in a row. She's the first Panther to tally 20-plus points in three consecutive games since Stacia Robertson did so in January of 2015. The reigning Big South Player of the Week hit 12-of-19 attempts from the floor and pulled down five boards in the win.
 
Meanwhile, the double-double was the first of Morgan's career as the Panthers earned a +7 margin on the glass (41-34). Bockrath, Morgan and Brown all hail from the Buckeye state and combined for 48 points on 19-of-36 shooting.
 
Senior Kaylah Keys reached double-figures as well hitting 4-of-6 three-point attempts en route to a 16-point afternoon. Her four trifectas moved the Memphis, Tenn. native to fifth in league history with 241 career triples.
 
Off the bench, the Purple & White piled up a 24-12 edge in reserve scoring. Brown led the way with nine points and two assists while redshirt-sophomore Kennedy Currie recorded six points and sophomore Lindsey Edwards tallied five points and six rebounds.
 
Similarly, High Point shot 51 percent (33-of-65) while holding GWU to a 37 percent performance (23-of-62). Likewise, HPU outshot the best three-point shooting team in the Big South going 8-of-19 (42 percent) as the Runnin' Bulldogs went 5-of-15 (33 percent).
 
Brown and HPU opened the contest hot as the freshman scored nine points of a 10-0 run at the end of the first quarter to give the Panthers a 22-13 edge. The Purple & White shot 9-of-15 in the frame (60 percent) while drilling 3-of-5 three-point attempts.
 
Bockrath and Keys, then, combined for eight quick points in the second as HPU's lead swelled to 15 (30-15, 8:14). From there, the Panthers' advantage slowly continued to grow as Currie hit a layup and Edwards split a trip to the line to give the visitors a 45-27 edge at halftime.
 
Just over two and a half minutes into the third period, junior Kat Harris got into the act drilling a three-pointer to put the Panthers up by 21, 54-33.
 
The rest of the way, the Runnin' Bulldogs trailed by at least 17 points while the HPU lead peaked at 24, 62-38, as the Panthers pulled away for the 84-65 victory.
 
On Tuesday, High Point returns to the Millis Center to take on Liberty at 7 p.m. on Valentine's Day.
 
#GoHPU