Site: Kimmel Arena (Asheville, NC)
Score: High Point 61, UNC Asheville 57
Records: High Point (5-10, 2-2), UNC Asheville (7-10, 2-4)
The High Point University women's basketball team came out victorious in a back-and-forth battle over UNC Asheville, 61-57, on Tuesday night. Jaden Wrightsell led the Panthers with 21 points on the night, six of them coming in the final minute of regulation.
Claire Wyatt and
Jenson Edwards contributed 11 points apiece.
Head coach Chelsea Banbury: "I thought Asheville played really well tonight, especially with missing their leading scorer. I thought we came out a little flat but I'm happy with how we responded in the second half. Jaden was huge down the stretch and Nakyah made a huge defensive play. The girls deserve the credit for making big plays to get us the win."
Panther Particulars
Claire Wyatt got the offense started for the Panthers, scoring the first seven points of the game for HPU on 2-of-3 shooting from three-point range.Â
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A 6-0 run out of the first quarter media timeout put the Panthers up 13-9, but the Bulldogs would respond with a 7-2 run of their own to take a 16-15 lead into the second period.Â
After Jaden Wrightsell netted her first triple of the night early in the second quarter, Asheville exploded for 12-0 run when HPU experienced an offensive drought that lasted for over five minutes. But back-to-back three-pointers by Jenson Edwards and Jordan Edwards cut the Bulldog lead to five heading into halftime as Asheville led 31-26. The Panther defense held the Bulldogs scoreless from behind the three-point arc in the first half, keeping the visitors within striking distance after the halftime break.
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Jenson Edwards found an open lane for a layup to open the third period, but the Bulldogs extended the lead to eight before Jordan Edwards hit her second three pointer of the night to cut the Bulldog lead back to five.Â
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Both teams fought for momentum throughout the third quarter with neither finding much of an advantage as each side traded layups and free throws. Nakyah Terrell made it a one-possession game off of a layup in transition with 2:23 left in the third quarter, but Maliyah Lockett scored a layup for the Bulldogs to hold a four-point advantage heading into the final period.
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After another Jenson Edwards layup opened the fourth quarter to pull HPU back within two, the Bulldogs used a layup and three-pointer of their own to take a seven-point lead with 7:18 remaining. But Terrell fought for a layup and Wrightsell notched a free throw before sinking a deep two-point jumper to keep the Panthers within two, 47-45.
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In the final minute, Asheville held a four-point lead until Wrightsell used a spin move to work for an open layup, bringing the Panthers back within 57-55. A stop on the defensive end set up another offensive set for Wrightsell, this time a turnaround jumper that tied the game with :11.0 to play.
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After a Bulldog timeout,
Terrell tipped the inbounds pass and regained possession for HPU before calling a timeout.
Wrightsell was fouled with nine seconds remaining and made both free throws for the first Panther lead since 9:15 remaining in the second period.
Wrightsell snagged the inbounds try for Asheville and found
Jordan Edwards, who was fouled and converted on both free throws in the final seconds, giving HPU the 61-57 lead.Â
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For the last six minutes of the contest, neither team held more than a six-point advantage. Wrightsell's 13 points in the final frame headlined the Panther effort as HPU outscored the hosts 23-15 in the period.Â
Up Next: HPU will host Hampton on Saturday (Jan. 22) at the Qubein Center. Tip off is set for 2 pm.Â
#GoHPU x #H3U
