• High Point moved to 2-0 in Big South play for the first time since 2015-16
• Junior Brandonn Kamga led all scorers with 25 points
• Senior Ricky Madison recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds
 
HIGH POINT, N.C.—The High Point University men's basketball team defeated Presbyterian, 74-58, in its home conference opener Thursday night (Jan. 10) at the Millis Center.
 
The Panthers (9-7, 2-0 Big South) moved to 2-0 in Big South play for the first time since the 2015-16 season and have their second three-game win streak of the season.
 
In the first half, the Panthers jumped out to a 23-7 lead and shot 53.3 percent (16-30) on the way to a 40-23 lead at halftime. High Point scored nine of the first 12 points of the second half and opened up a 23-point lead at 49-26, but the Blue Hose (9-8, 1-1 Big South) cut the lead to nine at 55-46 with 6:49 left. Junior Brandonn Kamga followed with a layup to push the lead back to double-digits and 11 was as close as Presbyterian would get the rest of the way.
 
"I thought our guys kept their composure, especially when we couldn't make any shots for eight possessions in a row there in the second half, and we kept battling," HPU head coach Tubby Smith said. "Hats off to Ricky Madison, who grabbed 17 rebounds and had a double-double, he really did an outstanding job. It was good to see Brandonn (Kamga) step up and hit some shots because he had been struggling some from the outside and I thought we just had a good all-around game."
 
High Point ended up shooting 45.6 percent (26-57) and held Presbyterian to 32.8 percent shooting (20-61). The Panthers out-rebounded the Blue Hose, 48-32. 
 
The Panthers were led by Kamga with 25 points, the sixth time this season he has scored 20 or more, and a season-high five assists. Senior Ricky Madison recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. 
 
Junior Jahaad Proctor added 18 points, while senior Jordan Whitehead tallied 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Presbyterian was led by Francois Lewis with 19 points.
 
Up next, the Panthers travel to Rock Hill, S.C., to take on Winthrop on Saturday (Jan. 12). Tip-off at the Winthrop Coliseum is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3. 
 
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