GREENVILLE, N.C. – It was a tough night for the High Point men's basketball team as the East Carolina Pirates pushed their way to a 60-49, low scoring effort over the Panthers.
Site: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
Score: High Point 49, ECU 60
Records: High Point (8-4) ECU (9-4)
G.G. Smith - "Thought our guys played really hard! Overall, I thought our defensive effort was solid. We just didn't shoot the ball well tonight. We have a few days off for Christmas. Going 8-4 in non conference is a good start going into league Big South play."
High Point struggled to buy a basket through the opening minutes of the first half. Tallying the first points at the 16-minute mark,
Bryant Randleman found
Zack Austin open on the block for two.
ECU's largest lead was 15 at 1:27, as
Emmanuel Izunabor registered two points from the stripe to cut it to 13 before the end of the half.
The Panthers came out in the second half fired up.
Abdoulaye Thiam opened the set with a three from the corner to start the 10-2 run for High Point.
Jaden House had a powerful one-handed dunk down the right side to make it 27-34, before a free throw from
Ahmard Harvey put the Panthers within six, the lowest margin since the first six minutes of the game.
The Pirates gained their same momentum from the first half and leaked out on a 19-point lead with just under six minutes left in the second.
Unable to close the gap, the Panthers experienced their fourth loss of the season and their third loss on the road.
Up Next: High Point returns to action following the Christmas break, opening Big South conference play on the road at Longwood. The Panthers and the Lancers meet the following Thursday, December 29
th for a 3:00 p.m. tip-off.
#GoHPU
