HIGH POINT, N.C. – Coming back from the Thanksgiving holiday, the High Point University Panthers hosted Pfeiffer University at the Qubein Center on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers stretched out the game in the second half to secure the 81-50 win.



"It's always difficult coming off three games in three days and today is no exception," Head Coach Alan Huss stated. "We were a little bit stuck in the mud early and we had a really difficult time offensively. They went under a lot of things and switched on a lot of things and played us really soft defensively. We got a little bit passive with what we were trying to do on offense and what they did defensively bothered us a little bit and threw off our rhythm. We obviously have to take better care of the basketball. I was pleased that we rebounded better on both ends and we shared the basketball better in the second half. We've got a big week ahead and there's no chance to take a rest or feel sorry for ourselves, we've got to get back to the practice court tomorrow and get ready for an incredibly difficult week." 
 
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 81, Pfeiffer 50
Records: High Point (8-1), Pfeiffer (2-4)
 
At the start of the first half, the Panthers forced multiple turnovers by the Falcons resulting in easy transition layups. Kimani Hamilton and D'Maurian Williams both broke away for wide open layups while Bobby Pettiford took a drive to the rack for his first points of the game. Pettiford later opened the perimeter up for HPU with a three, followed by a three-pointer from Chase Johnston in transition.
 
A drive in from Pettiford gave High Point a 14-2 lead at the 14:36 mark in the first.
 
Williams scored on back-to-back possession under the 10-minute mark with a step-back in the lane and a three-pointer at the top of the key from a hand off from Kezza Giffa. Williams' five points extended HPU's lead to 23-7. Coming out of the under eight timeout, Williams took a drive on the right side and knocked down a three on the wing to score his 12th point of the game.
 
The Panthers led 30-9 with six minutes left to go in the first half. Pfeiffer answered before the under four minute timeout with an 8-0 run after knocking down back-to-back three pointers to make it 32-19. The Flacons cut the game to 32-22 with 2:17 left to go in the half.
 
High Point pushed the lead back up to 16 at the half with a steal and layup from Hamilton and a last second shot from Williams. HPU led 38-22 at the half.
 
At the start of the second half, HPU stretched its lead to 20 points for the first time since the 6:16 mark in the first half. Two free throws from Pettiford gave High Point the 45-24 lead four minutes into the second half.
 
After a technical foul on a Falcons player, Johnston went to the line for two. The Panthers picked up the pace during a two-minute stretch. Securing the defensive rebound, Pettiford found Johnston trailing down the sideline for a pull up three on the wing. Williams forced a turnover immediately on the Falcons inbounds and passed it over to Pettiford who found Hamilton circling on the backside for an alley-oop dunk. Josh Ibukunoluwa followed up with a dunk of his own at the 13:29 mark to make it 55-30.
 
Abdoulaye Thiam and Giffa each scored easy layups late in the second half as Thiam scored both layups on backdoor plays helping High Point take the 72-45 lead with four minutes left on the clock.
 
Getting minutes at the end of the game, three Panthers scored the final three baskets, including David Fonville with a left-handed drive, and Ivan Matlekovic and Liam Carney with offensive put backs. Matlekovic's basket was his first points as a Panther. High Point secured the 81-50 win.
 
Overall High Point shot 43.9% (29-66) from the field, 32.0% (8-25) from the three and 78.9% (15-19). As a team, the Panthers picked up 47 rebounds which is the most rebounds as a team this season, led by three players with six a piece.
 
UP NEXT:
High Point travel to UNCG on Tuesday, December 3 for a non-conference matchup at 7:00 p.m.