• HPU fell in the Big South Tournament quarterfinals to Gardner-Webb, 75-69
• Junior Jahaad Proctor scored 25 points and reached 1,000 career points for his HPU career
• Senior Ricky Madison was one shy of a career high with 22 points
 
BUIES CREEK, N.C.—The fifth-seeded High Point University men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought Big South Tournament quarterfinal to fourth-seeded Gardner-Webb, 75-69, Thursday night (March 7) at Gore Arena in Buies Creek.
 
The Panthers (16-15), who trailed by as much as 19 in the second half at 51-32 with 14:15 remaining, poured on the press and cut the Runnin' Bulldog (21-11) lead to two at 69-67 with 1:02 left on a layup by redshirt sophomore Tim Cameron. After a Gardner-Webb layup, junior Jahaad Proctor hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead back to two, but that was as close as the Panthers would get.
 
"We've been digging a hole for ourselves a few games this year, but I loved our heart, toughness and courage," JPU head coach Tubby Smith said. "We didn't give up, our guys didn't quit and they fought back. I can't say enough about Ricky (Madison) and Jahaad (Proctor) and our guys who haven't played in a few games like Tim Cameron and Rob Peterson III. 
 
"I'm proud of our seniors and how they played and I'm proud of all our guys and how they didn't quit." 
 
For the game, HPU shot 42.1 percent (24-57), while the Runnin' Bulldogs were 25-of-50 from the field (50 percent). High Point made eight 3-pointers to GWU's six, while Gardner-Webb held a slim advantage on the boards, 32-31.
 
With a team-leading 25 points today, junior Jahaad Proctor became the 11th player in High Point's Division I history to score 1,000 points. He is also the 34th overall HPU player to achieve the feat.
 
Senior Ricky Madison scored 22 points, including 13 in the first half, and grabbed seven rebounds. Fellow senior Jordan Whitehead added seven rebounds, while off the bench, senior Dexter Gooding scored six points. 
 
David Efianayi led Gardner-Webb with 25 points.
 
#GoHPU