Site: Qubein Center (High Point, N.C.)
Score: High Point 74, UNC Asheville 62
Records: High Point (16-12, 13-4), UNC Asheville (7-21, 2-15)
 
The High Point University women's basketball team won their final home game in the Qubein Center of the 2021- 2022 season with a 74-62 victory over UNC Asheville. Jaden Wrightsell led the way for the Panthers on her senior night with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Jordan Edwards finished right behind her with 19 points and five assists on the night. 
 

It's game time, let's get it??#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/pHIIycaqUB

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 23, 2022

 
Head coach Chelsea Banbury: "Well at this point we need every win that we can get, so I'm very happy that we were able to get away with a win. I think Asheville is a lot better team than what their record says they are. They have some very good players, Evans is about as fast as you're going to get in this league, she's tough. We knew tonight was going to be a battle coming in, and our girls responded. Jaden was excellent tonight, she had 21 (points) and 14 (rebounds), but even more importantly she disrupted a lot of stuff on the defensive end. Whether it be helping on 24, she got her hands on a lot of balls, whether it was helping on 0 attacking. She scored for us, but I think her biggest impact was on the other end of the floor. She came away with 12 defensive rebounds which we definitely needed those. But like I said, Asheville is a better team than their record states and we knew it was going to be a battle, and our girls made enough plays to come away with a win."
 
Panther Particulars
UNC Asheville was on the scoreboard first, but Jaden Wrightsell took it upon herself and scored back-to-back baskets to give HPU an early lead.

Senior buckets! Four points for @its_jaadenjaay and two stop by HPU make it a 4-2 ballgame.#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/0XLNQkxmAZ

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Jordan Edwards gave HPU a 9-4 lead as she made a layup and then the first three-pointer of the game for the Panthers.
 

Catch and shoot ??@jord1edwards #GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/rgXyomPhGI

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Nakyah Terrell hit her first three-pointer of the game late in the first quarter to put the Panthers back on top 14-11 after a 7-2 Bulldog run. 
 

3??-pointer for 2??!!!@Nakyah_T #H3U x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/EQCTXk3usO

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Wrightsell recorded six points, two rebounds and a steal in the opening 10 minutes of play. 
 
The Panther lead quickly escalated to 20-12 early in the 2nd quarter after back-to-back Wrightsell buckets followed up by a Cydney Johnson layup. 
 

.@its_jaadenjaay GOING OFF!

Fight for the rebound ?
Bring the ball up the floor ?
Break a few ankles ?
Make the layup ?#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/Qk6FhvWoDZ

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
The two teams traded buckets until Wrightsell took the ball coast-to-coast after winning the defensive rebound and finished the play with an easy layup, giving the Panthers the 27-18 lead. Asheville answered with a triple and two jumpers to get back within two points with 3:38 left in the half.  Callie Scheier put the Bulldog run to an end with an and-1 play to put HPU up 30-25. 
 

AND-1!!!@CallieScheier gets the basket and the free throw ??#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/rTbGLUGIgC

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
LaImani Simmons made her presence known late in the second quarter as she hit back-to-back baskets for the Panthers to bring the lead to four. 
 

MANI!!#H3U x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/8PeOw7t1S0

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
The Panthers entered the halftime break leading the Bulldogs 35-31. Jaden Wrightsell led the Panthers in first half scoring with 10 points and six rebounds. Jordan Edwards also recorded six first half points.
 
Wrightsell and Jenson Edwards kept the offensive pressure on the Bulldogs as they both hit critical three pointers in the third quarter. HPU opened the frame with Jenson Edwards and Jordan Edwards layups before Jenson knocked down her first triple. Wrightsell added two of her six free throws in the run.
 

LET'S GO!@jenson_edwards #H3U x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/NMIdh0TMWY

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

Jordan Edwards buried a three-pointer to extend the HPU lead to 10 before the Bulldogs used a three-pointer, three free throws, and a layup to pull back within two with two minutes remaining in the period.
 

That's double digits for @jord1edwards!#H3U x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/WP4sPupfwp

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Wrightsell used a layup and two free throws to help hold the HPU lead at four heading into the final frame. She scored nine of HPU's 19 points in the third quarter. 
 

?? double-double alert ??@its_jaadenjaay with 19 points, 10 rebounds ??#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/GhDddEgFtP

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Simmons had a coast-to-coast run of her own starting with a defensive rebound and finishing with a layup to bring the score to 56-50. After a Bulldog score, Simmons found the basket again to push the lead back to six. A late offensive spark with a layup from Jordan Edwards and a putback off an offensive board from Cydney Johnson helped secure the victory.
 

WE SEE YOU 4!#GoHPU x #H3U pic.twitter.com/ymxP91MGXR

— HPU Women's Basketball (@HPUWBB) February 24, 2022

 
Asheville started fouling in an attempt to stop the clock and regain possession, but the Panthers made six straight free throws to push the lead back to double digits with 1:12 to play.
 
HPU finished the with a perfect 19-for-19 from the free throw line, a key piece in the Panther triumph.
 

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Up Next: High Point will wrap up the regular season with a trip to Buies Creek on Saturday (Feb. 26) to face Campbell. Tip-off is set for 2 pm.